Thalassemia is a common genetic disease. It is more common in people of African, Mediterranean:

Prevent :

There is no way to prevent thalassemia once the child is born. Genetic counseling may be helpful to couples with a family history of the disease. There is a 25% chance with each pregnancy that a child will be born with thalassemia major if both parents carry the gene for thalassemia according to the western data.

Thalassemia is diagnosed through blood tests. A sample of blood is taken to look for a low red blood cell count, low hemoglobin levels, small red blood cells, or an abnormal red blood cell structure. Sometimes a more complex genetic analysis is needed.

Thalassemia minor usually does not cause long-term problems. Thalassemia major, however, can result in stunted growth, problems in bone development, darkened skin, general growth problems, and death.

Risks to others:

Thalassemia is an inherited condition, so a person can passed it on to his or her children.

Regular blood transfusions are needed. The person will also require folic acid and other nutritional supplements in the western medication.

An individual who has frequent red blood cell transfusions can develop iron overload. It may be dangerous.

Others treatment for thalassemia are still being tested in clinical trials. These include: · changing the abnormal hemoglobin genes using medications similar to those used in cancer chemotherapy· bone marrow transplant and infusions of stem cells, which are starter cells · specific gene therapy targeted at the abnormal chromosomes, which all may be dangerous too, and it is only under research stage.

Frequent blood transfusions can lead to an iron overload. Excess iron can end up in various body tissues and cause skin discoloration, liver disease, and diabetes.

There are risks with any blood transfusion. These include an allergic reaction, infection, and sometimes hepatitis or HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.