Prevalence of Thalassemia in Relation to Blood Group Distribution in Shaheed Benazir Abad, Sindh
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65459/pmhj.000000002Abstract
Background: The β-thalassemia are among the most common genetic diseases and affect millions of children throughout the world. Around 1.5% (80–90 million people) of the worldwide population are carriers for β-thalassemia, with 50,000–60,000 new β-thalassemia cases being born each year. Objectives: To find out the prevalence of thalassemia in different blood groups at Shaheed Benazir Abad city, Sindh. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at the Department of Molecular Biology & Genetics, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University, after obtaining ethical approval. Out of 253, 114 (45.1%) diagnosed thalassemia patients receiving blood transfusions at the Thalassemia Centre, Nawabshah, were enrolled. Socio-demographic and clinical data, along with blood group distribution, were recorded through structured interviews and questionnaires. Results: The prevalence of thalassemia was 114 (45.1%) out of 253 individuals while blood group distribution revealed that the majority had group O (46.5%), followed by group A (29.8%), B (19.3%), and AB (4.4%). Conclusion: Thalassemia prevalence in Shaheed Benazir Abad was 45.1%, with blood group O being the most common among affected patients. These findings highlight a significant association of thalassemia with specific blood group distributions in the region.
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