title: Serological similarities between hyperreactive malarial splenomegaly and splenic lymphoma in west Africa.
abstract: In West Africa hyperreactive malarial splenomegaly (HMS) and splenic lymphoma with villous lymphocytes (SLVL) are demographically and clinically indistinguishable. Determination of lymphocyte clonality is needed to differentiate clearly between these 2 disorders. To obtain evidence to support our hypothesis that HMS and SLVL are aetiologically related we studied the serological profile of malaria-related antibodies in HMS and SLVL in West Africa. We found that in SLVL total immunoglobulin M and antimalarial antibody levels were markedly raised, a combination which is characteristic of HMS. These findings strongly support a developmental relationship between HMS and SLVL in tropical Africa and implicate malaria in this process.
authors.affiliation: Division of Haematology, St George's Hospital Medical School, London, UK.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wallace
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bedu-Addo
authors.forename: T R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Rutherford
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bates
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000276:immunology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005869:Ghana; D006801:Humans; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis; D016393:Lymphoma, B-Cell / Q000175:diagnosis*; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013158:Splenic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013163:Splenomegaly / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D007075:Immunoglobulin M