Thalassemia is an inherited disease caused by faulty synthesis of hemoglobin. The name is derived from the Greek word "thalassa" meaning "the sea" because the condition was first described in populations living near the Mediterranean Sea.
Alpha-thalassemias are characterized by decreased hemoglobin alpha chain synthesis; alpha-zero-thalassemia being the condition where no normal alpha globin is produced, and alpha-plus-thalassemia being the condition where there is reduced globin production.
Alpha-thalassemia is prevalent in Africa, the Mediterranean countries, India, Southeast Asia, Oceania and the Arabian Peninsula. In the Arabian Peninsula, gene frequencies for the alpha 3.7 Kb deletion vary from 0.01 to 0.67, with Oman having the highest values.
