Prevalence and Genotypes of α- and β-Thalassemia Carriers in Hong Kong — Implications for Population Screening

The α- and β-thalassemias are due to mutations of the α- or β-globin genes that markedly decrease or completely prevent the production of α- or β-globin chains. 1 They are the most common inherited single-gene disorders in the world, with the highest prevalence in areas where malaria has been or remains endemic. In Southeast Asia, with a population of approximately 450 million people, the burdens of inherited globin gene disorders in many regions are of such magnitude that they represent a public health concern. 2 We assessed the feasibility of a large screening program for thalassemia in Hong Kong, a city of . . .