IMMUNOCYTOLOGICAL TEST TO DETECT ADULT CARRIERS OF (--SEA ) DELETIONAL ALPHA-THALASSEMIA/

Authors
TANG WZ LUO HY ENG B WAYE JS CHUI DHK
Citation
Wz. Tang et al., IMMUNOCYTOLOGICAL TEST TO DETECT ADULT CARRIERS OF (--SEA ) DELETIONAL ALPHA-THALASSEMIA/, Lancet, 342(8880), 1993, pp. 1145-1147
Citations number
8
Categorie Soggetti
Medicine, General & Internal
Journal title
Lancet → ACNP
ISSN journal
01406736
Volume
342
Issue
8880
Year of publication
1993
Pages
1145 - 1147
Database
ISI
SICI code
0140-6736(1993)342:8880<1145:ITTDAC>2.0.ZU;2-Z
Abstract
The gene frequency for (--SEA/) deletional alpha-thalassaemia is high in Southeast Asian populations. We report a simple immunocytological t est that is highly sensitive and specific for the detection of adult c arriers of the (--SEA/) deletion. We prospectively studied 296 consecu tive adult blood samples. All 41 with the (--SEA/) deletion had a posi tive test; all but 1 of the 165 non-carriers were negative. This test, whose major requirement is a fluorescence microscope, should be usefu l to identify couples at risk of conceiving fetuses with homozygous al pha-thalassaemia.