Frequency of Thalassemia in Iran and Khorasan Razavi

• Main Authors: Gholam Hasan Khodaei, Nasrin Farbod, Masumeh Saeidi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Mashhad University of Medical Sciences 2013-12-01
• Series: International Journal of Pediatrics
• Subjects: Belt Thalassemia; Khorasan Razavi; Thalassemia; Prevalence; Iran
• Online Access: http://ijp.mums.ac.ir/pdf_2044_9ff1f4d4ae9beaa882db3bc9b6827b7c.html

Introduction: Beta-thalassemia is the most common hereditary disease in Iran. More than two million carriers of beta-thalassemia live in Iran. Since the Iranian population is a mixture of different ethnic groups, it is necessary to determine the frequency  in the different parts of the country. Materials and Methods: This descriptive study is a cross sectional study with helping by professional groups fighting diseases in Khorasan Razavi province.   Results: In Iran, according to World Health Organization, about 4 percent of the population, are carriers of the thalassemia gene. In other words, about 2-3 million people are suffering from thalassemia minor.Now, more than 18 thousand cases of thalassemia are scattered across the country in different provinces, are different. Mazandaran, Gilan, Hormozgan, Khuzestan, kohgiloyeh, Fars, Bushehr, Sistan and Baluchestan, Kerman and Isfahan, are 10 provinces with high prevalence in our country. We have 342 cases of thalassemia major in Khorasan Razavi province.   Conclusion: Prevalence  of thalassemia in our country is 3.6%  and Iran is located on the belt of thalassemia and due to a history of consanguinity, this disease has a prevalence of 0.6% among in the provinces of Khorasan Razavi.