Thalassemia is an inherited disease caused by missing or impaired genes that control the formation of protein chains in hemoglobin. There are two types, alpha and beta, with different symptoms and prevalence in different populations. Thalassemia minor is usually diagnosed after anemia is detected and requires little or no treatment.
Thalassemia minor is an inherited disease caused by a genetic defect. Hemoglobin, which is an iron-rich protein in red blood cells, is made up of two protein chains called alpha and beta globins. When the genes that control the formation of protein chains in hemoglobin are missing or impaired, then thalassemia occurs.
There are four genes required in the creation of alpha protein chains, two from each parent. If only one gene is missing, then the person is a silent carrier, meaning there are no signs of the disease but there is a risk to the next generation. If two genes are missing, the result is alpha thalassemia minor, also known as the alpha thalassemia trait.
There is mild anemia associated with this condition. When the genetic mutation involves three genes, the likely result is hemoglobin H disease, for which the symptom is moderate to severe anemia. In cases where all four genes are missing, the condition is alpha thalassemia major. This usually results in death shortly after birth.
Only two genes are needed for the creation of the beta protein chain, one from each parent. Beta thalassemia minor is the result of having an altered gene. Again, this causes mild anemia. When both genes are affected, beta thalassemia intermedia or major causes moderate and severe anemia, respectively.
Different breeds are more prone to one of the blood disorders than the other. Southeast Asian, Chinese, Filipino, and Indian peoples are most affected by alpha thalassemia while the beta type is found more often in people of Mediterranean and African descent. The symptom of both types of thalassemia minor is mild anemia, but in many cases, there are no signs or symptoms of the condition. Some sufferers may find that they fatigue easily, but may not attribute this to a specific cause.
While moderate and severe thalassemias are often diagnosed when the child is two years old due to the severity of the symptoms, thalassemia minor is usually diagnosed after anemia is detected following a standard blood test. Many times there is confusion as to whether anemia is due to an iron deficiency or problems with the formation of the globin protein chains. This is fixed by a test that measures the amount of iron in the blood. People with thalassemia minor usually need little or no treatment.
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