Cancer-causing infections in sub-Saharan Africa

These infections include:

• Human papillomavirus (HPV)
• Helicobacter pylori
• Hepatitis Viruses. 

Much of this work has evolved into larger multi-country investigations.

We are examining:

• uptake of HPV vaccination and early impact on circulating HPV subtypes;
• characterization of H. pylori, patterns of drug resistance and associations with gastric abnormalities with a view to developing prevention trials in the future and; 
• progression of Hepatitis B Virus-related liver disease and the contribution of infection to the total burden of abnormal liver function.

Publications

IFNL4 genotypes and risk of childhood Burkitt lymphoma in East Africa, Journal of Interferon & Cytokine Research, 2023

Thirteen cancers associated with HIV infection in a Black South African cancer patient population (1995-2016), International Journal of Cancer. 2023

Usefulness of high-risk HPV early oncoprotein (E6 and E7) serological markers in the detection of cervical cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis, Journal of Medical Virology, 2023

HPV types 16/18 L1 E6 and E7 proteins seropositivity and cervical cancer risk in HIV-positive and HIV-negative black South African women, Infectious Agents and Cancer, 2022

Ranking lifestyle risk factors for cervical cancer among Black women: A case-control study from Johannesburg, South Africa, PLOS ONE, 2021