Thalassaemia
is a blood disorder passed down through families (inherited) in which
the body makes an abnormal form of hemoglobin(the protein in red blood
cells that carries oxygen). The disorder results in excessive destruction of red blood cells, which leads to anemia.
Hemoglobin
is made of two proteins: Alpha globin and beta globin. Thalassemia
occurs when there is a defect in a gene that helps control production of
one of these proteins. There are two main types of thalassemia:
-Alpha thalassemia occurs when a gene or genes related to the alpha globin protein are missing or changed (mutated).
-Beta thalassemia occurs when similar gene defects affect production of the beta globin protein.
Beta thalassemia major is also called Cooley's anemia.