Thalassaemia | |
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Classification and external resources | |
ICD-10 | D56. |
ICD-9 | 282.4 |
MedlinePlus | 000587 |
eMedicine | ped/2229 radio/686 |
MeSH | D013789 |
Thalassaemia (or thalassemia) is a genetic disorder of the blood which originated in the Mediterranean region.
This disease is caused by the weakening and destruction of red blood cells. This is caused by mutant genes which affect how the body makes haemoglobin. Haemoglobin is the protein in red blood cells which carries oxygen. People with thalassaemia make less haemoglobin and fewer circulating red blood cells than normal, which results in mild or severe anemia.