Thalassemia

Petey DeJoy

Background of Thalassemia

Genetic blood disorder

Body makes abnormal form of hemoglobin

History of Thalassemia

Discovered by Dr. Thomas Cooley in 1925

Examined it in patients of Mediterranean Ancestry

Originally called “Cooley’s Anemia” but changed to reflect the Mediterranean background; “thalassemia” means “people of the sea” in Greek

Symptoms of Thalassemia

Often causes stillbirth

Bone deformities in the face

Fatigue

Growth failure

Shortness of Breath

Yellowish skin

Anemia

Cause of Thalassemia

Abnormal hemoglobin produced by the body

Hemoglobin contains both alpha globin and beta globin

Thalassemia occurs when there is a defect in the gene responsible for producing one of these proteins

Types of Thalassemia

There are 2 types of thalassemia

Thalassemia Major

Both parents have thalassemia minor

Causes death

Thalassemia Minor

Beta thalassemia

Alpha thalassemia

Treatments for Thalassemia

Thalassemia major requires frequent blood transfusions

Bone Marrow Transplant

Thalassemia minor requires taking iron in order to treat anemia

How to Identify Thalassemia

Red blood cells appear small and abnormally shaped

Complete blood count reveals anemia

Hemoglobin electrophoresis reveals abnormal hemoglobin

Prognosis

Thalassemia major causes heart failure and early death

Less severe forms do not shorten lifespan

Bioethical Considerations

As an individual with Beta Thalassemia, there are a few issues that I must adress

Because Beta Thalassemia is a minor version of the disease, there are not too many setbacks other than anemia

However, I must make sure I do not try to reproduce with another individual with beta or alpha thalassemia

Works Cited

Board, A.D.A.M. Editorial. Thalassemia. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 18 Nov. 0000. Web. 27 Feb. 2013. <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001613/>. "Health Guide." Thalassemia. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Feb. 2013. <http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/thalassemia/overview.html>.