title: Hereditary anaemias and iron deficiency in a tribal population (the Baiga) of central India.
abstract: We have studied the prevalence and molecular nature of hereditary anaemias (abnormal haemoglobins, beta-thalassaemia, alpha-thalassaemia, and Glucose 6 phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency) in a primitive central Indian tribe, the Baiga. 43% of the population appear to be iron-deficient. Hereditary anaemia gene frequencies are, sickle cell 0.0824, G6PD deficiency (in males) 0.0457, beta-thalassaemia 0.0057, and deletional alpha-plus thalassaemia 0.65. Both -alpha 3.7 and -alpha 4.2 deletions were observed and non-deletional alpha-thalassaemia was suspected. The overall gene frequency of Xmn I+polymorphism (C-->T - 158 cap site; upstream of G gamma region) is 0.35. This polymorphism is preferentially linked to beta s genes. It appears that sickle cell disease covers a wide range of severity in the Baiga tribe based on higher mortality in the offspring of AS x AS parents (2.5/couple) compared to AA x AS (0.75/couple) and AA x AA (0.76/couple) parents. This is compatible with the high frequency of genetic modifying factors, i.e., the Xmn I polymorphism and alpha-thalassaemia. The results also indicate that "normal" red cell values must be defined for each population where thalassaemias, G6PD deficiency and iron deficiency are common.
authors.affiliation: University College London Medical School, Department of Obstetics & Gynaecology, U.K.
authors.forename: P H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Reddy
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Petrou
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Reddy
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Tiwary
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Modell
mesh_terms: D000740:Anemia / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics*; D000755:Anemia, Sickle Cell / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics; D001483:Base Sequence; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis; D015252:Deoxyribonucleases, Type II Site-Specific; D005260:Female; D017353:Gene Deletion; D005787:Gene Frequency; D005838:Genotype; D005955:Glucosephosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics; D006451:Hemoglobin, Sickle / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D000090463:Iron Deficiencies; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D017085:alpha-Thalassemia / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics; D017086:beta-Thalassemia / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D006451:Hemoglobin, Sickle; D004247:DNA; C028649:endodeoxyribonuclease XmnI; D015252:Deoxyribonucleases, Type II Site-Specific