Thalassemia is a life-threatening genetic disorder that affects a significant population of India. Every year, 8 th May is celebrated as the World Thalassemia Day. This year, let us revisit the disorder and some of the essential insights in its management. Thalassemia – An Overview Thalassemia is one of the most prevalent hereditary blood disorders and is of significant public health concern in India. It affects around 200 million people globally.
India carries a 10% disease burden with around 10,000 new births with thalassemia every year. A total of 5% to 7% of the Indian population is a carrier of this disease. Based on the gene carrying mutation, thalassemia is classified into two types: alpha thalassemia , caused when the mutation lies on the alpha-globin producing gene, and beta-thalassemia , caused when the mutation lies on the beta-globin producing gene. Based on severity,…
