Burkitt lymphoma is a type of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma first described in 1958 by Denis Burkitt in Uganda. It is caused by a translocation of the MYC gene which leads to uncontrolled B-cell proliferation. The disease is associated with areas that have high rates of malaria and early Epstein-Barr virus infection, which are thought to contribute to B-cell hyperplasia and increase the chances of a MYC translocation occurring. AIDS-associated Burkitt lymphoma has also been reported and its incidence increased with the HIV epidemic.