1. EBV immortalizes a large pool of B-lymphocytes;concurrently, malaria causes T-cell immunosuppression. There is thus a large pool of target cells in which a third event ( e. g. ,a chromosomal translocation) results in the formation of a malignantly transformed cell. Most Burkitt' s lymphoma tumors contain translocations involving chromosome 8 , resulting in activation of the cmyc gene ,which supports this hypothesis.
2. Malaria results in polyclonal B-cell activation. EBV subsequently immortalizes a cell containing a pre-existing c-myc translocation. This mechanism would be largely indistinguishable from the above.
3. EBV is just a passenger virus! Burkitt ' s lymphoma also occurs in Europe and North America although it is very rare in these regions;however,85% of these patients are not infected with
EBV, which implies that there are other causes for Burkitt' s lymphoma.
2. Malaria results in polyclonal B-cell activation. EBV subsequently immortalizes a cell containing a pre-existing c-myc translocation. This mechanism would be largely indistinguishable from the above.
3. EBV is just a passenger virus! Burkitt ' s lymphoma also occurs in Europe and North America although it is very rare in these regions;however,85% of these patients are not infected with
EBV, which implies that there are other causes for Burkitt' s lymphoma.
