Human haemoglobins and haemoglobinopathies in Arabia: Hb O Arab in Saudi Arabia

In the Arabian peninsula, haemoglobinopathies, though very interesting, are still far from being fairly established. With the exception of the eastern province of Saudi Arabia, where several aspects of the sickle-cell disease have been focused upon, few reports have appeared in the literature. However, in 1974 one of us (M.A.F. E.H.) has initiated a comprehensive investigation in collaboration with the Ministry of Health on haemoglobinopathies in various parts of the country. These studies have revealed a new pocket for the sickle-cell gene and a new structural abnormality. In the present report we describe the first finding of Hb O Arab in Saudi Arabia, which may shed more light on the anthropological significance of this haemoglobin variant.