title: Appraisal of sickle-cell and thalassaemia genes in Saudi Arabia.
abstract: A comprehensive national survey of the distribution of the sickle-cell (Hb S) gene and thalassaemia genes was initiated in 1982, with more than 30,055 blood samples collected. The Hb S, alpha- and beta-thalassaemia gene frequency range was 0.005-0.145, 0.01-0.40 and 0.01-0.15 respectively in various areas of Saudi Arabia. We present here an appraisal of sickle-cell and thalassaemia gene occurrence in the Saudi population, based on our studies conducted over 10 years in different regions of Saudi Arabia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biochemistry, WHO Collaborating Centre for Haemoglobinopathies, Thalassaemias and Enzymopathies, College of Medicine, King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: el-Hazmi
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Warsy
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000755:Anemia, Sickle Cell / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D017353:Gene Deletion; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000235:genetics; D005787:Gene Frequency / Q000235:genetics*; D005820:Genetic Testing; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D010641:Phenotype; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D012111:Residence Characteristics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000453:epidemiology; D017085:alpha-Thalassemia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics*; D017086:beta-Thalassemia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics*