thalassemia

(thal″ă-sē′mē-ă)

To hear audio pronunciation of this topic, purchase a subscription or log in.

[Gr. thalassa, sea + -emia]
Any of a group of hereditary anemias occurring in populations bordering the Mediterranean Sea and in Southeast Asia. Anemia is produced by either a defective production rate of the alpha or beta hemoglobin polypeptide chain or a decreased synthesis of the beta chain. Heterozygotes are usually asymptomatic. The severity in homozygotes varies according to the complexity of the inheritance pattern, but thalassemia may be fatal.
SEE: sickle cell anemia

There's more to see -- the rest of this topic is available only to subscribers.