GENETIC RED-CELL DISORDERS AND SEVERITY OF FALCIPARUM-MALARIA IN MYANMAR

A hospital-based survey was undertaken to investigate the relationship between the incidence and severity of malaria infection and various r ed cell disorders in Myanmar. The mean parasitaemia levels of patients with alpha- or beta-thalassaemia trait or with severe glucose-6-phosp hate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency were lower than those of individu als with normal haemoglobin AA or with heterozygous haemoglobin E. The double genetic defect of thalassaemia trait and severe G6PD deficienc y appeared to confer some degree of protection against malaria.