What is Thalassemia, a hereditary disease?

Thalassemia is an inherited (i.e., passed from parents to children through genes) blood disorder characterised by less oxygen-carrying protein (hemoglobin) and fewer red blood cells in the body than normal. When there are not enough oxygen delivered to all other cells of the body, it may cause a person to feel tired, weak or short of breath. This is a condition called anemia. People with thalassemia may have mild or severe anemia which can damage organs and lead to death. Severe forms of disease require regular blood transfusions.

There are two main types of thalassemia: alpha and beta. Alpha thalassemia occurs when genes that makes hemoglobin are missing or damaged. Beta thalassemia is more serious when two mutated copies of heredity genes combined and a child is likely get diagnosed with this type by the time he is 2 years old. Babies born with severe mutated genes inherited from parents often die shortly after birth or require lifelong transfusion therapy. Treatment can only reduce symptoms.

Traits for thalassemia are more common in people from Mediterranean countries, like Greece and Turkey, and in people from Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. Because thalassemia is passed from parents to children, it is very hard to prevent.