Thalasemia

Thalasemia

Stadar Heng

OVERVEIW • • • • •

What’s thalassemia How do people get it How can it be treated Symptoms Types of thalassemia

A disease that affects the blood. It causes a person to produce less hemoglobin than usual, resulting in anemia. Hemoglobin is a protein in red blood cells that enables the cells to carry oxygen and nutrients to the body. There are two types of thalassemia called “Alpha” and “Beta”

This kind of anemia usually requires blood transfusions and extensive medical care, it also may cause death in untreated children. There is a defect in the alpha globin gene that produces red blood cells.

Beta Thalassemia aka Thalassemia Minor is a milder form of anemia. Most people with this disease live healthy and long lives without any extensive medical Treatment.

Thalassemia is inherited, it cannot be passed on from one person to another. There are two mutated genes that can be inherited.

Inheritance of Thalassemia

http://www.thalassemia.ca/minor.html

The areas in the peach color are the main areas where most recipients of thalassemia live

http://www.abanet.it/fondazioneberloni/ing/talassem.htm

Beta:

iron deficiency, fatigue and inflamed spleen

Alpha: paleness, poor appetites, enlarged spleen and liver and heart, and thin bones

Regular blood transfusions and antibiotics help children With Thalassemia Major. Repeated transfusions can cause an iron overdose, thus creating heart, liver and other organ Problems. Bone marrow transplants may cure the disease but they are risky and only a few are compatible for this process. Also it may result in death.

You can find out if you have Thalassemia by getting a blood test or you can consult a genetic counselor to see if both of your parents are carriers of the disease.

Bibliography • • • • •

http://sickle.bwh.harvard.edu www.irondisorders.org www.genome.gov http://www.abanet.it/fondazioneberloni/ing/tala http://www.thalassemia.ca/minor.html