Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-1-2010
Abstract
Thalassemia can lead to severe transfusion-dependent anemia, and it is the most common genetic disorder in Malaysia. This paper aims to determine the prevalence of thalassemia in the Kadazandusuns, the largest indigenous group in Sabah, East Malaysia. alpha-and beta-thalassemia were confirmed in 33.6 and 12.8, of the individuals studied respectively. The high prevalence of alpha- and beta-thalassemia in the Kadazandusuns indicates that thalassemia screening, genetic counseling, and prenatal diagnosis should be included as part of their healthcare system. This preliminary paper serves as a baseline for further investigations into the health and genetic defects of the major indigenous population in Sabah, East Malaysia.
Keywords
Comorbidity, Humans, Malaysia/epidemiology
Divisions
fac_med
Publication Title
Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology
Volume
2010
Publisher
Hindawi Publishing Corporation
Additional Information
Department of Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Building, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, MALAYSIA