Antibody to the aids virus in Kaposi's sarcoma in Nigeria

Abstract

The present study has investigated whether Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) in Nigeria is associated with infection with the AIDS virus variously called human T-cell lymphotropic virus type III (HTLV-III), lymphadenopathy/AIDS virus (LAV), and AIDS-associated retrovirus (ARV). Serum samples from 40 KS patients, 30 patients with malignant melanoma of the foot (contemporaneous controls), and 50 normal nontumour-bearing controls were tested for anti-AIDS virus antibody by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The assay consistently and reproducibly failed to show seropositivity in all the patients and controls. These results show that Kaposi's sarcoma in Nigeria is not associated with infection with the AIDS virus and that the virus is not endemic in this region.

Kaposi's sarcoma in Nigeria

“…Endemic African KS has accounted for 10% of cancers and has been observed in a male‐to‐female ratio of 15 : 1 16 . This disease is highly endemic in equatorial African countries such as the Congo Republic, Uganda, and Zambia 17 . The Kampala Cancer Registry has shown a significant change in the incidence of KS in the era of AIDS.…”

Prevalence of Kaposi's Sarcoma Among Adult HIV-Seropositive Patients Seen in a Designated HIV Treatment and Care Center in Abuja, Nigeria

“…Akinsete et al 31 found a prevalence of 0.52% in a study in Lagos in 1996, whereas Onyemelukwe and Musa 32 reported a prevalence of 2% in a 1997 study in Zaria. Compared with prevalence in the United States, where rates ranging from 15% to 40% have been recorded at different times in the pandemic, [1][2][3]17,33,34 it could be said that the prevalence in Nigeria is low but appears to be rising. With the increasing availability and accessibility of antiretroviral medications in the country through the efforts of the Federal government supported by the US government, it is expected that the incidence of AAKS will decrease with a resultant decrease in the prevalence, at least in the short and medium term.…”

“…The ages and the CD4 count at onset of the disease found in the study were in line with previous findings. 1,3,7,32,34,35 However, it would appear that women present at relatively earlier ages and lower CD4 counts than do men. Although the reason for this finding is not clear, it may be that women acquired the associated/etiologic virus HHV-8 21 as well as HIV at earlier ages because it is known that women tend to begin sexual intercourse earlier than do men.…”

“…2 Whereas the classic type typically occurs in elderly men of Mediterranean Eastern European background, the immunocompromised variant occurs after solid-organ transplantation or in patients receiving immunosuppressive therapy 2 ; EKS occurs essentially in HIV-seronegative men in equatorial African countries such as Zaire, Uganda, Kenya, and Zambia, and also in South Africa. [2][3][4][5][6] Although rarely diagnosed before the emergence of HIV/AIDS, previous studies have documented the presence of EKS in Nigeria. 3,[7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14] In 1981, the emergence of KS among young gay men in New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco heralded the beginning of the AIDS pandemic, 15,16 and since then, AAKS, an AIDS-defining disease, has emerged as the most commonly diagnosed malignancy among HIV-seropositive patients.…”

“…[2][3][4][5][6] Although rarely diagnosed before the emergence of HIV/AIDS, previous studies have documented the presence of EKS in Nigeria. 3,[7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14] In 1981, the emergence of KS among young gay men in New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco heralded the beginning of the AIDS pandemic, 15,16 and since then, AAKS, an AIDS-defining disease, has emerged as the most commonly diagnosed malignancy among HIV-seropositive patients. 17 Other HIV-associated malignancies include non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and anal and cervical cancers, especially squamous intraepithelial lesions.…”