Thalassemias

Thalassemia is an inherited disorder that affects the production of normal hemoglobin (a type of protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen to the tissues in the body). Thalassemia includes a number of different forms of anemia. The severity and type of anemia depends upon the number of genes that are affected.

This disorder is common in populations around the Mediterranean Sea, Africa, and Southeast Asia. The presenting symptom for all forms of thalassemia is anemia (a deficiency of red blood cells), in varying degrees - from mild to severe.

Listed in the directory below, you will find additional information regarding two different types of thalassemia, for which we have provided a brief overview.

If you cannot find the information in which you are interested, please visit the Blood Disorders Online Resources page in this Web site for an Internet/World Wide Web address that may contain additional information on that topic.