Anyone can be a carrier of thalassaemia, but it is most prevalent in individuals whocan trace their ancestry to;

• South America.

• the Caribbean

• the Mediterranean

• the Middle East Africa

• Asia and the Pacific Isles

Thalassaemia is common in these regions because it was believed to be arevolutionary response to malaria- for more information look here: How is itdiagnosed ?

If you're a carrier of thalassaemia, it means you carry one of the faultygenes that cause thalassaemia, but you do not have the condition yourself.

Being a carrier of the trait is sometimes known as having the thalassaemia trait or having thalassaemia minor.

If vou arry the gene for thalassemia. vou wll never develop the fu-low condition.but you may sometmes eserence mid anaemia because wour red blood cels armaller than usual. It is iherited rom parents like hair, eve or skin coour, Itis passed on eoualy by men and womenThalassaemia is not ontapious or means that ohave bad blood as the myths say.

Beta thalasaemia cariers are usualyealthy and do not kow that they are arriers unt1 they have a special blood test caried out. This blod test an be done by your Grand the result should be known within two weeks.

The difference betwen a carer and a non-arrieris that the red cels of the carier are slightly smaler than those of the non-arrier. This is sometimes mistaken for irondeiciency anaemia and iron is wrongly prescrbed Thalassaemia arriers should not take iron unless they need it. Before tron is rescribed. iron levels in the bood mustemeasured to ensure there is a need.

This ype of anaemia is diferent from ron deficiency anaemia and does not need any treatment. You can fnd out if you're a carier of thalassaemia by having a blood testaled haemogiobin electrophoresis that oks for abnormal types of haemogobin the blood. The NHs ickle Cel and Thalassaemia Screening Programme also has detaileeadets about being a beta thalasaemi arer and delta beta thalasaemi carer. There are thre forms of thalassaemia: aldha thalasaemia. beta thalassaemia and deltbeta thalassaemia.

Alpha thalassemia Carrier /minor

Alpha thalassemia occurs when some or all of the 4 genes tht make haemoglobin (the alpha-globin genes) are missing or damaged

There are 4 types of alpha thalassemia:

• Apha thalassemia silent carrier, 0ne gene is mising or damaged, and the other 3 are normal. Blod tests are usualy normal. Your red blod cels may be smallerthan normal. Being a silent carer meas you dont have signs of the disease but ou can pass the damaged gene on to vour child. This is confrmed by DNA tests.

• Alpha thalassemia carrier. Two genes are missing. You may have mild anaemia.

Beta thalassaemia Carrier/minor

Carriers ofbeta thalassaemia are normaly healthy and wil not now that they are carriers unless they have special blood test to detect this condition.Although being aeta thalassaemia carrer does not cause any svmptoms its important for them and for ther doctors to know iftney nave this ondition for varous reasons.

Betore a nerson who is a carrer ofbeta haassaemia decides to nave niren its aysabe for them to fnd out as soon as possibe ifther partmer is aso a camuer ofbetathalasaemia or another interactig haemoglobin such as sickle haemoglobin (Hb S), Hb 0 Arab or Hb Lepore. This ony requires a simple blood test. This test is adyisablebecause.if positive. there wil be a t in 4 chance 25%) that any chid they have wil imherit beta thalassaemia from bot parents, Ifa child imherits beta thalassaemia fromboth parents it will have Beta Thalassaemia Maior and is usuallvy associated with considerable medical problems.