Malaria has direct role in development of childhood cancer: Study

Researchers found that Plasmodium falciparum, a parasitic protozoan that causes malaria, has a direct role in development of Burkitt lymphoma (BL), most common childhood cancer, according to a study published in The Journal of Immunology. The study found high levels of the AID enzyme in children’s B cells during P. falciparum malaria, suggesting a direct link to BL development.