Cystic fibrosis carrier frequency and estimated prevalence of the disease in Morocco.
BACKGROUND
The epidemiology of cystic fibrosis (CF) is poorly known in North African populations, in particular in Morocco and the CF carrier frequency in the general Moroccan population has never been evaluated.


METHODS
To estimate the prevalence of CF mutations in Morocco, blood samples from 150 healthy Moroccans were tested for frequent CFTR mutations and the intron 8 polyT variant.


RESULTS
Two subjects were heterozygous for F508del and eight others for the (T)5 variant.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings indicate that the Moroccan population is at risk for CF and CFTR-related disorders. CF prevalence could be in the range of that found in European populations. Wider studies are necessary to identify the clinical pattern and accurately determine the prevalence and molecular basis of CF in Morocco.
Ratbi
Ilham
I
Service de Biochimie et Génétique, AP-HP et INSERM U841 équipe 11, groupe hospitalier Henri Mondor-Albert Chenevier, 94010 Créteil, France.
Génin
Emmanuelle
E
Legendre
Marie
M
Le Floch
Annick
A
Costa
Catherine
C
Cherkaoui-Deqqaqi
Souad
S
Goossens
Michel
M
Sefiani
Abdelaziz
A
Girodon
Emmanuelle
E
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002353:Carrier State; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics; D019005:Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009018:Morocco / Q000453:epidemiology; D009154:Mutation; D015995:Prevalence
D019005:Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator