Infectious aetiology of Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphomas: a review of the epidemiological evidence.
Lymphomas constitute a heterogeneous group of malignant disorders with different clinical behaviours, pathological features and epidemiological characteristics. For some lymphoma subtypes, epidemiological evidence has long pointed to infectious aetiologies. A subset of Hodgkin lymphoma is strongly linked to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection. In addition, infectious agents can directly infect and transform lymphocytes (e.g. EBV, human herpesvirus 8), induce immunosuppression (human immunodeficiency virus), or cause chronic immune stimulation (hepatitis C virus, Helicobacter pylori), all of which may play a role in the development of various non-Hodgkin lymphoma subtypes. Here, we review the epidemiological evidence linking infections with malignant lymphoma.
Hjalgrim
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Department of Epidemiology Research, Statens Serum Institut, Copenhagen, Denmark. hhj@ssi.dk
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D017668:Age of Onset; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D012306:Risk