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The prevalence of thalassemia has been registering an increase across the state. The blood disorder, currently, is detected in over two per cent of the children in the city. In the state, in spite of a lot of complexity, certain mutations are still confined to certain caste groups. However, an independent study by paediatrics from Ahmedabad and Vadodara indicate that increasing intermixing of gene pools is making it difficult to trace probable high-risk cases and leaving a larger population at risk. According to the study, the prevalence of thalassemia over the past decade have rose from under one per cent of the populace to nearly two per cent in the city. "A form of anaemia, thalassemia is an inherited abnormality which is a major public health problem. The rise in its prevalence is reflective of the increasing heterogeneity of the general Indian gene pools. Ethnic groups who are largely thalassemia trait carriers are spreading, escalating the chances of intermixing of carriers with non-carriers," said researcher Dr Manish Patel. Experts claim that the geographical subdivisions in the Indian population had made detection and screening easier. "The lineage or family tree of a majority of thalassemia carriers can be traced back to north-western part of the Indian subcontinent, some of which now lies in present day Pakistan. Ethnic groups in the state that are more susceptible to the disorder include Lohanas, Sindhis and Kutchis. But the increasing inter-state migration have brought other high-risk groups, such as Punjabis, in large groups into the state," said city based paediatrician Dr Paresh Majmudar. A program that concentrates on expectant mothers along with an extensive genetic counselling and prenatal diagnosis should be the focus of the public health system, experts believe. "Over 12,000 cases of thalassemia are reported annually in India, even as the number of thalassemia trait carriers remain indefinite. Mass screenings at community level can help us identify risk groups and couples who are carriers of thalassemia minor. Also, premarital tests can also help in identifying the risks and genetic counselling can lead to a reduced of affected births," said another paediatrician Dr Alka Nigam.
Keywords
prevalence, thalassemia, state, blood disaster, pediatrics, Ahmedabad, Vadodara, genes, anemia, heterogenity, India, abnormality, ethnic groups
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