title: [Hemoglobin S frequency in five Mexican populations and its importance in public health].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To provide information regarding the heterozygote frequency for hemoglobin S (HbS) in five Mexican populations, the Haplotype in five S chromosomes, and underscore its importance for public health.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 162 samples from three Nahua populations (Atocpan and Tlacotenco, DF, and Ixhuatlancillo, Veracruz) and 131 from mestizo populations (Coyolillo and Poza Rica, Veracruz) were studied after obtaining informed consent. The hemoglobin type was determined by electrophoresis, and DNA in leucocytes was obtained from five HbS samples. The haplotype was determined by PCR and cut with restrictases, according to literature.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found one heterozygote for hemoglobin S (0.6%) among Nahua and 18 among Mestizo groups (13.7%). Four haplotypes were Bantu and one was Benin.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings are important to public health for populations with a high frequency of HbS, to inform and provide genetic counseling for carriers and medical attention to patients.
authors.affiliation: UIM Genética Humana, Centro Médico Nacional SXXI, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, México, DF, México. rosenda@servidor.unam.mx
authors.forename: Rosenda I
authors.initials: RI
authors.lastname: Peñaloza-Espinosa
authors.forename: Leonor
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Buentello-Malo
authors.forename: M Arcelia
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Hernández-Maya
authors.forename: Beatriz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nieva-García
authors.forename: Rubén
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lisker-Yurkowitzki
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Salamanca-Gómez
mesh_terms: D006239:Haplotypes; D006451:Hemoglobin, Sickle / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008800:Mexico; D011634:Public Health
chemical_list: D006451:Hemoglobin, Sickle