World Thalassemia Day 2021: All You Need to Know About the Disease That Kills Thousands

Thalassemia refers to a blood disease that is primarily inherited. The condition results in the production of abnormal haemoglobin. The disorder concludes in the extreme damage of red blood cells, which leads to a condition when your body doesn’t have sufficient regular healthy red blood cells. This condition in medical terms is called Anaemia.

Thalassemia runs into generations which means that you are likely to witness the disease if one of your parents has a history of braving the disease. Thalassemia is caused by the deletion of specific key gene fragments or via genetic mutation.

Thalassemia minor, on the other hand, is a less severe form of the disease. There are two main classes of thalassemia that are more dangerous, alpha-thalassemia and beta-thalassemia. While in the former case, one of the alpha-globin genes has an abnormality or mutation in the latter, the beta-globin genes are affected.

Thalassemia happens when there’s an irregularity or modification in one of the genes associated with haemoglobin production. The disorder is primarily inherited by individuals from their parents.

There are significant chances of developing a minor variant of the disease if only one of your parents is a carrier for the disorder. If this happens, you may not face any symptoms but will continue to serve as a carrier. In some cases, individuals may also face symptoms in the case of Thalassemia minor.

Both classes of thalassemia have several subtypes. The severity of symptoms depends on the exact form you are suffering from. While the symptoms in each case can differ, here are some of the most prevalent ones:

• Dark coloured urine
• Slowed body growth and development
• Extreme fatigue and tiredness
• Pale or yellow coloured skin

The treatment for thalassemia varies on the severity and type of the disease being faced by an individual. Here are some of the several popular types of treatments:

• Transfusion of blood
• Supplements and medications
• Surgery to remove the affected parts
• Transplantation of bone marrow

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