It is a disease in which anemia is caused by excessive destruction of defective red blood cells (due to abnormal hemoglobin) Thalassemia is a genetic

disorder and not a contagious or infectious disease as some people wrongly believe.

Let us see how it spreads. It's very simple to understand and even simpler is the way to eradicate it.

OR

ONE ABNORMAL (THALASSAEMIC) GENE

OR

ONE NORMAL GENE

ONE ABNORMAL (THALASSAEMIC) GENE FROM ONE PARENT & & ONE NORMAL GENE FROM ANOTHER PARENT (SUCH A PERSON IS CALLED A "CARRIER) ONE NORMAL GENE FROM ONE PARENT & ONE NORMAL GENE FROM ANOTHER PARENT

OR

SUCH A PERSON IS NORMAL [HEALTHY ] ONE.

ONE ABNORMAL GENE FROM ONE PARENT & ONE ABNORMAL GENE FROM ANOTHER PARENT

SUCH A PERSON IS CALLED A THALASSEMIC

A Thalassemic child may be born

IF AND ONLY IF
Both The Parents Are At least
"CARRIERS" OF THALASSEMIA, IF NOT THALASSEMIC,

as will be evident from

the following figures

PARENT NORMAL

PARENT NORMAL

CHILDREN

NORMAL NORMAL NORMAL NORMAL THESE CHILDREN GET NORMAL GENE FROM BOTH THE PARENTS. HENCE THEY ARE NORMAL (HEALTHY) CHILDREN.
THE PROBABILITY OF BIRTH OF SUCH HEALTHY CHILD IS 4 OUT OF 4, THAT IS 100%

PARENT
NORMAL

PARENT (CARRIER)

CHILDREN
NORMAL
THIS CHILD GETS NORMAL GENE FROM BOTH THE PARENTS. HENCE IT IS A NORMAL (HEALTHY) CHILD. THE PROBABILITY OF BIRTH OF SUCH A CHILD IS 1 OUT OF 4,

CARRIER

THAT IS 25%

THIS CHILD GETS ONE NORMAL THIS CHILD GETS NORMAL GENE FROM ONE PARENT AND ONE GENE FROM BOTH THE ABNORMAL GENE FROM THE OTHER PARENTS. HENCE IT IS A PARENT. HENCE IT IS A CARRIER. THE NORMAL (HEALTHY) CHILD. PROBABILITY OF BIRTH OF SUCH A THE PROBABILITY OF BIRTH OF CHILD IS 1 OUT OF 4 SUCH A CHILD IS 1 OUT OF 4,

NORMAL

CARRIER
THIS CHILD GETS ONE NORMAL GENE FROM ONE PARENT AND ONE ABNORMAL GENE FROM THE OTHER PARENT. HENCE IT IS A CARRIER. THE PROBABILITY OF BIRTH OF SUCH A CHILD IS 1 OUT OF 4

THAT IS 25%

THAT IS 25% HENCE THE OVERALL PROBABILITY OF THE BIRTH OF A NORMAL (HEALTHY) CHILD IN THIS CASE IS (25% + 25%) = 50% AND THE OVERALL PROBABILITY OF THE BIRTH OF A CARRIER CHILD IN THIS CASE IS (25% + 25%) = 50%

THAT IS 25%

PARENT
NORMAL

PARENT
THALASSEMIC

CHILDREN

CARRIER

CARRIER

CARRIER

CARRIER

THESE CHILDREN GET ONE NORMAL GENE FROM ONE PARENT & ONE ABNORMAL GENE FROM THE OTHER. HENCE THEY ARE CARRIERS. THE PROBABILITY OF BIRTH OF SUCH A CHILD IS 4 OUT OF 4 i.e. 100%

PARENT

PARENT

(CARRIER)

(CARRIER)

CHILDREN

NORMAL
THIS CHILD GETS NORMAL GENE FROM BOTH THE PARENTS. HENCE IT IS A NORMAL (HEALTHY) CHILD. THE PROBABILITY OF BIRTH OF SUCH A CHILD IS 1 OUT OF 4,THAT IS

CARRIER

CARRIER

THALASSEMIC
THIS CHILD GETS ABNORMAL GENE FROM BOTH THE PARENTS. HENCE IT IS A THALASSAEMIC. THE PROBABILITY OF BIRTH OF SUCH A CHILD IS 1 OUT OF

THESE CHILDREN GET ONE NORMAL GENE FROM ONE PARENT & ONE ABNORMAL GENE FROM ANOTHER PARENT. HENCE THEY ARE CARRIERS. THE PROBABILITY OF BIRTH OF SUCH A CHILD IS 2 OUT OF

4,THAT IS 50%

4,THAT IS 25%

PARENT
(CARRIER)

PARENT
(THALASSEMIC)

CHILDREN

CARRIER

CARRIER

THALASSEMIC

THALASSEMIC

THESE CHILDREN GET ONE NORMAL GENE FROM ONE PARENT & ONE ABNORMAL GENE FROM THE OTHER PARENT. HENCE THEY ARE CARRIERS. THE PROBABILITY OF BIRTH OF SUCH A CHILD IS 2 OUT OF 4,

THESE CHILDREN GET ABNORMAL GENE FROM BOTH THE PARENTS. HENCE THEY ARE THALASSAEMIC. THE PROBABILITY OF BIRTH OF SUCH A CHILD IS 2 OUT OF 4,

THAT IS 50%

THAT IS 50%

PARENT

PARENT (THALA SSEMIC)

(THALASSEMIC)

CHILDREN THALASSEMIC THALASSEMIC THALASSEMIC THALASSEMIC

THESE CHILDREN GET ABNORMAL GENE FROM BOTH THE PARENTS. HENCE THEY ARE THALASSAEMIC. THE PROBABILITY OF BIRTH OF SUCH A CHILD IS 4 OUT OF 4 THAT IS 100

HENCE PREVENTION OF MARRIAGE: 1. Between two carriers (case-4) 2. Between a carrier and a Thalassemic (case-5)

3. Between two Thalassemics (case-6)

ARE THE ONLY WAYS TO ERADICATE THALASSEMIA. It is therefore really unfortunate that every hour a Thalassemic child is born in India only because of our lackadaisical approach to a serious problem.

 Get the blood of prospective couples tested for the thalassemia trait (HPLC test of blood) before settling a marriage. Get yourself tested for Thalassemia when anemia persists even after corrective measures are taken by doctor.

Donate blood and money for those already affected