WHAT IS THALASSAEMIA? Thalassaemia is the name of a group of genetic blood disorder in which the body makes an abnormal form of haemoglobin. Haemoglobin is the protein molecule in red blood cells that carries oxygen around the body. The disorder results in the body not producing enough haemoglobin and red blood cells making them dependent on life-long blood transfusions. WHAT ARE THE TYPES OF THALASSAEMIA?
To make haemoglobin, the body needs two proteins, Alpha and Beta. Thalassaemia occurs when there is a defect in a gene that helps production of one of these proteins. There are two main types of Thalassaemia: Alpha and Beta. Alpha Thalassaemia occurs when a gene or genes related to the alpha globin are missing or changed, and Beta Thalassaemia occurs when similar gene defects affect the production of the beta globin protein. Both, Alpha and Beta Thalassaemia include two forms:…
