UKZN PhD Links Parasitic Worms to Cancer Risk in Africa

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Parasitic worms, or helminths, are often regarded as a childhood condition and receive limited attention in adult medicine.

Yet these organisms survive by quietly weakening the body’s immune system, which can have serious consequences for vulnerable people. The relationship between helminths and HIV is well recognised. However, their role in other long-term diseases, including cancer, is still not fully understood, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, where these infections are common.

Dr Botle Damane grew up in Ladybrand in the Free State. She obtained her degrees in Medical Science from the University of the Free State and recently completed her PhD in Medical Microbiology at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN). She currently serves as Head of Medical Research and Senior Lecturer in the Department of Surgery at the Steve Biko Academic Hospital and the University of Pretoria.

Her journey into science is deeply personal. “My father died of mesothelioma linked to asbestos exposure,” she explains. “He worked as a cook in Welkom and lived in hostels that had asbestos roofing and partitions. My mother died of leukaemia. These experiences shaped my decision to pursue a career in Medical Science. I wanted to understand the disease and help others.”

Damane has focused on an area that remains largely understudied. Her research looks at how helminth infections affect the gut, including the natural balance of bacteria that helps keep the body healthy. Her findings suggest that these parasitic infections may not only make HIV more difficult to manage but could also allow diseases like cancer, particularly colorectal cancer, to develop more easily. This is especially important in African populations, where both infections and cancer are common but not often studied together.

“I find it incredibly rewarding to contribute to cancer research that is relevant to our context,” she says. “Much of what we know comes from studies done outside Africa. Yet our genetics, environments, and patterns of disease are different. We need to understand our own risk factors so that we can detect disease earlier and respond more effectively.”

Central to her work is the concept of ‘exposomes’ - the environmental and lifestyle factors that affect a person’s health over time. “In our setting,” she explains, “this includes things like poor sanitation, diet, climate, and dual infections such as HIV-helminth co-infections. All of these factors interact and can influence cancer risk. Understanding this is important if we want to reduce cancer in our communities.”

Her supervisor, Professor Zilungile Mkhize-Kwitshana, describes her as a brilliant researcher: “She is an incredible hard worker with a strong sense of conviction. It was so easy to manage her research as she remained completely focused. This is an under-studied field, and her work is vitally important. She has already published seven papers, and this research urgently needs to be considered. It has the potential to change policies in other countries as well.”

“Simple interventions like screening and education, and the availability of effective treatments, could have a major impact. It’s a less invasive way of building up immunity and deserves greater attention.”

Words: Matthew Hattingh

Photograph: Sethu Dlamini