Influence of HIV Epidemic on the Incidence of Kaposi??s Sarcoma in Zambian Children

Kaposi sarcoma: A continuing conundrum

“…75,77,78,94 In Zambia, KS in infants and young children was found to occur more commonly since the advent of the HIV epidemic. 128 A male-tofemale ratio of 1.76:1 was observed.…”

“…128 KS was found to represent as much as 25% of childhood cancers. The average male-to-female ratio was 1.76:1, with male predominance higher in children older than 5 years of age (2.5:1 ratio) than in children younger than 5 years of age (1.4:1 ratio).…”

A Review of Human Herpesvirus 8, the Kaposi's Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus, in the Pediatric Population

“…Data from Children's Cancer Registries in South Africa [26], Zimbabwe [27], and Uganda [28] demonstrate a 30-to 40-fold increase in pediatric KS since 1987. In Zambia, nearly 20% of childhood cancers between 1987 and 1992 were KS compared to only 6% before 1986; nearly 60% of these KS tumors occurred in children under 5 years of age [29].…”

Sexually transmissible agent and African Kaposi's sarcoma

“…There is as yet no conclusive evidence for perinatal transmission of the putative KS agent, despite the wealth of documented cases of KS in children before and after the AIDS epidemic 4,5,25,34,35 . Moreover, there are no reports to suggest this from KS in women, including pregnant women 23 , and in large cohorts in Uganda 34 and Zambia 13 .…”

“…Moreover, there are no reports to suggest this from KS in women, including pregnant women 23 , and in large cohorts in Uganda 34 and Zambia 13 . It is curious that although the incidence of AIDS-related KS in children, including those with vertically acquired HIV infection, is reportedly increasing 35 , apparently vertically transmitted KS is very rare. The epidemiology of KS in Africa is not consistent with that of a conventional sexually transmissible disease.…”