Incidence of Thalassaemia

Incidence of Thalassaemia
PCL 6 – Swee Lan gets clucky
Amber Hartley

Thalassaemia is particularly common in people from the Mediterranean, Africa and southeast Asia. Incidence can be as high as 1/10 in some Mediterranean areas.

The above image, taken from http://www.gpgenetics.edu.au/12/12_index.html, depicts the global distribution of haemoglobinopathies. This is not just Thalassaemia incidence, but includes other haemoglobinopathies including Sickle Cell Anaemia.

The WHO estimates that, on a global scale, at least 5% of adults are carriers for a haemoglobinopathy. Approximately 2.9% of people, globally, are carriers for thalassaemia.
Incidence and carrier rates of Thalassaemia are different in each country, largely because populations have different ethnic origins.

Prevalence of β Thalassaemia

Particular sub-groups at increased risk of being a carrier for β-thalassaemia are those from the Middle East, Southern Europe, India, Central and Southeast Asia, and Africa. In some regions, 1 in 5 people may carry a β-thalassaemia mutation.

Prevalence of α Thalassaemia

Those most commonly at risk of α-thalassaemia are from China or Southeast Asia, but people from Southern Europe, the Middle East, India, Pakistan, Africa, the Pacific Islands, New Zealand (Maori), and some Indigenous Australia communities are also at higher risk.

In general, people with a family history of thalassaemia, or a history of severe pre-eclampsia associated with early fetal death, are also at higher risk.

References

Genetics in Family Medicine, “Haemoglobinopathies.” http://www.gpgenetics.edu.au/12/12_index.html, 2007

World Health Organisation, “Data and Statistics.” http://www.who.int/research/en/ 2008