Defining Thalassemia

Alpha Thalassemia States

  • Heterozygous states of alpha thalassemia express themselves as
    • silent carrier (one loci deleted)
    • thalassemia minor (two loci deleted)
    • hemoglobin H disease (three loci deleted)

  • The homozygous state (all four loci deleted), alpha thalassemia major, is incompatible with life.

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