Spectrum of common Hodgkin lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphomas subtypes in Zambia: a 3-year records review.

BACKGROUND: Lymphomas usually present with different occurrence patterns across different geographical locations, but their epidemiology in Zambia is yet to be extensively explored. OBJECTIVES: To study the spectrum of lymphoma subtypes prevalent within the Zambian population. METHODS: Histopathological records with suspected lymphoma at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) in Lusaka from the year 2014 to 2016, diagnosed based on the 2008 World Health Organization (WHO) criteria were reviewed. The analysis was done in terms of type, sex, age, and site of biopsy; and Fisher's exact test was used for significance testing. RESULTS: During the study period (2014-2016), there were more B cell neoplasms {222 (92.5%)} than T cell neoplasms {18 (7.5%)}. Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) was seen in 191 (79.6%) whereas classic Hodgkin's lymphoma (CHL) was seen in 39 (16.3%). Burkitt's lymphoma (BL) and diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) showed equal proportions {17.5% of all lymphoma cases (42/240) each}, as the most prevalent subtypes of NHL whereas marginal zone B cell lymphoma was the rarest subtype with 1.4% (4/240). For CHL, mixed cellularity and lymphocyte rich subtypes (4.6% of all lymphoma cases) were the most common subtypes. There was a statistically significant difference in the occurrences of lymphoma subtypes across different age categories (p = 0.002). CONCLUSION: Zambia has a diverse lymphoma subtypes population, affecting a relatively young population. The data from this study will serve as a baseline for improved health care provision and more robust future studies.

HIV-1 effects on neuropsychological performance in a resource-limited country, Zambia.

Zambia has substantially been affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic with prevalence rates at 14% in a population estimated at 12 million. Yet, the extent of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) in this population remains to be clearly understood. A series of culturally appropriate neuropsychological (NP) assessments [International HIV Dementia Scale (IHDS), Color Trails Test 1 and 2, Grooved pegboard Test, and Time Gait Test] were used to test the effects of HIV on NP performance of HIV seropositive and seronegative individuals. Twenty-two percent HIV positive individuals ARV naïve met the criteria for IHDS-defined NP impairment. Gender significantly influenced the performance on NP tests with females performing more poorly compared to males. Larger studies that will accommodate gender differences and age are necessary to generate appropriate norms in Zambia in order to better assess the prevalence of HAND in the developing country setting.