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