[Molecular aspects of alpha dn beta thalassemias]

Thalassemia has been considered a recessive, autosomic, hereditary disease, characterized by microcytic, hypochromic, hemolytic anemia, which occurs as the consequence of a defect in the synthesis of the globin chains, the two most frequent types are thalassemias a and b, which in their most severe forms are known as Hydrops Fetalis and Major Thalassemia. The patients who bear thalassemia are concentrated to those places on earth where malaria is endemic, including the Mediterranean region, Northern Africa, The Middle East, India, China and Southern Asia. The simple Heterozygotic states in both types of thalassemia are more benign and may go unnoticed or confused with iron deficiency.