Thalassemia Minor | Thalassaemia Minor
Thalassemia is a form of inherited disease whereby it is caused by red blood cells genetic blood disorders. In general medical terms, thalassemia can be classified and divided into two main types where both of these types are known as (α) thalassemia and (β) thalassemia. Within both of the (α) thalassemia and (β) thalassemia, the most severe form of thalassemia is known as (α) thalassemia major and also the (β) thalassemia major. On the other hand, the least deadly form of thalassemia within both of the (α) thalassemia and (β) thalassemia are known as (α) thalassemia minor and (β) thalassemia minor.
For the (α) thalassemia minor, it is also sometime referred to as the silent carrier state. The reason behind this is because for (α) thalassemia minor or the silent carrier state, this condition normally will not cause any significant health problems to the infected individual as there is only a small shortage of alpha protein and the hemoglobin can still perform its functions normally. Another reason why this disease is referred to as the silent carrier is because (α) thalassemia minor is extremely stealthy and it is very difficult to properly detect it.
As for the (β) thalassemia minor, it is also a disease which is commonly known as the Thalassemia Trait. For the (β) thalassemia minor or the Thalassemia trait, this condition arises due to the lack of beta protein in the blood system of an individual. The carrier of (β) thalassemia minor will experience no significant declination in health and for some cases, the bearer of (β) thalassemia minor will only experience a mild state of anemia.
For both the (α) thalassemia minor and (β) thalassemia minor, many physician often mistakenly diagnosed the conditions of thalassemia minor as iron deficiency anemia and thus prescribing the wrong iron supplements to the bearer of the disease.
