Thalassemia is blood disorder where individuals with thalassemia produce too muc

Question

Thalassemia is blood disorder where individuals with thalassemia produce too much iron. This disease is inherited as an autosomal recessive. It has been hypothesized that heterozygous individuals have some immunity to malaria (similar to sickle cell anaemia). You obtain blood samples from a Mediterranean population of humans where malaria is endemic and among 100 individuals find 3 with thalassemia and 50 who are carriers. Are these results consistent with the hypothesis that heterozygous individuals have partial immunity to malaria?

Explanation / Answer

Yes these results with individuals 50 which are carrier or heterozygotes for the sickle cell anemia because in this condition deoxygenated Red blood cell distort in shape and that is not in proper shape which means that the shape changes into sickle shape and RBC with this structure is poor host for the parasite malaria and thus the malaria is not able to complete it's life cycle that sickle shaped RBC and people who are not carrier or doesnot have thalassemia may suffer from the deadliest disease which is malaria

Haemoglobin of thalassemia is Hbs Hbs

Whereas hb of carrier Hbs Hbn

Hbn = normal hbs= sickled shape chain

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