AN UNUSUAL DISTRIBUTION OF GLUCOSE-6-PHOSPHATE-DEHYDROGENASE DEFICIENCY OF SOUTH INDIAN NEWBORN POPULATION

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency is seen at a highe r frequency in many national and ethnic groups in areas of current or former malaria endemicity. A screening programme undertaken to evaluat e the gene frequencies for this deficiency in the highly inbred South Indian population of Karnataka revealed that of the 5140 neonates scre ened, 7.8% were G6PD deficient with no correlation between the reporte d level of inbreeding and enzyme deficiency. An interesting finding wa s the equal number of male (198) and female (207) individuals, with G6 PD activity of less than 3 IU. The possible implications of this findi ng with regard to the expression of G6PD gene is discussed.