Ethnic Information and Courses from MediaLab, Inc.
These are the MediaLab courses that cover Ethnic and links to relevant pages within the course.
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| Alpha Thalassemia Major Gene deletions that cause alpha thalassemia can be homozygous or heterozygous deletions. Homozygous alpha thalassemia (alpha thalassemia major), also known as hydrops fetalis, is a lethal hemoglobin disorder which usually results in stillborn infants. Both alpha chain loci on each chromosome of the pair are deleted, resulting in a total absence of alpha chains. These chains are needed for all normal hemoglobins. If born live, infants with alpha thalassemia major exhibit hepatosplenomegaly, ascites, edema, low birth weight and die within a few hours. Ethnic groups most commonly associated with this form of alpha thalassemia include primarily Southeast Asians and sometimes people of the islands in the Mediterranean. | View Page |
| Alpha Thalassemia Intermedia Alpha thalassemia intermedia (Hemoglobin H Disease) results from a deletion of three out of four alpha chain loci. Infants born with alpha thalassemia intermedia appear normal at birth but often develop anemia and splenomegaly by the end of their first year. Hepatomegaly is not a common finding and there may be some association with mental retardation. Due to the hemolytic nature of this anemia, there may be an increase in respiratory infections, leg ulcers and gallstones. Skeletal changes are not commonly seen in hemoglobin H disease. Every ethnic group can have occurrences of hemoglobin H disease; but it is most often seen in Southeast Asian, the Middle East and the Mediterranean islands. Development and life expectancy are usually normal, but some affected individuals may require splenectomy and transfusion therapy. | View Page |
| Hemoglobin H disease is found in which ethnic group? | View Page |
| Delta-Beta Thalassemia Delta-beta thalassemia exists in both heterozygous and homozygous forms. The symptoms are mild to moderate depending on the severity of the disease.This form of beta thalassemia can be found in many ethnic groups, but is most common in persons from Greece and Italy. | View Page |
| Trends in Tuberculosis The tuberculosis (TB) incidence rate in 2007 was the lowest recorded since national reporting began in 1953. However, the average annual percentage decline in the TB rate has slowed. Multi-drug resistant tuberculosis cases have increased. There is persistent disparity in the incidence of tuberculosis between different ethnic groups and also between foreign-born persons and US-born persons. Reference: Pratt R, Robison V, Navin T. Trends in tuberculosis. MMWR/57(11);281 - 285; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: March 21, 2008. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5711a2.htm Accessed on May 23, 2008. | View Page |