title: Non-Hodgkin lymphoma in Gabon and its relation to HTLV-I.
abstract: A case-control study was performed in Libreville, Gabon, to determine whether a relationship can be established between the relatively high proportion of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) among all cancer cases and the high seroprevalence rate of HTLV-I observed, and to discover whether cases of adult T-leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL) related to HTLV-I exist in Gabon. From November 1987 to April 1989, a total of 32 patients with NHL were recruited; 6 were infants with Burkitt's lymphoma and 26 were adults with NHL. Each patient was matched with 2 asymptomatic controls for age, sex and ethnic group. HTLV-I serology was done by ELISA and Western blot. Comparison of the groups was done by chi-square analysis. None of the 6 infants with Burkitt's lymphoma and none of their controls had antibodies to HTLV-I. Of the 26 patients with NHL, 7 (26.9%) had HTLV-I antibodies. Among the 52 controls, the HTLV-I rate was 13.4% (n = 7). There was no difference between cases and controls (Fisher's exact test, p = 0.16). Among the 26 NHL, 4 cases fitted the criteria of ATLL and were HTLV-I-positive; 3 others who were positive for HTLV-I were a woman with lymphoblastic gastric NHL and 2 old men with an unclassified lymphoma. From the results of this limited series it is not possible to state that there is an association between NHL and HTLV-I infection. Nevertheless, cases of ATLL related to HTLV-I are reported from this area. Based on the HTLV-I seroprevalence rates reported in Gabon, the estimated incidence rate of ATL among seropositive people in Gabon appears much lower than in Japan. Different explanations can be proposed, but under-diagnosis of ATLL is probably one of the main factors.
authors.affiliation: INSERM U13/IMEA, Hôpital Claude Bernard, Paris, France.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Delaporte
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Klotz
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Peeters
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Martin-Prevel
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bedjabaga
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Larouzé
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nguembi-Mbina
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Walter
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Piot
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002051:Burkitt Lymphoma / Q000453:epidemiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005681:Gabon / Q000453:epidemiology; D015481:HTLV-I Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D015459:Leukemia-Lymphoma, Adult T-Cell / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence
chemical_list: D015481:HTLV-I Antibodies