The haemoglobin pattern of sickle cell and haemoglobin C betasup +-thalassaemia in Liberia

Abstract

Haemoglobin components in 21 Liberians with Hb S β+-thalassaemia and four with Hb C β+-thalassaemia were measured to classify the forms of β+-thalassaemia present in the population. In 20 Hb S and all Hb C β+-thalassaemics the data were consistent with the interaction of these variants with the mild type 2 (Negro) form of β+-thalassaemia. The data available were insufficient to classify the remaining case, a young child. It was concluded that the clinically more severe type of β+-thalassaemia giving Hb A levels of 5 to 15% in compound heterozygotes is probably uncommon in Liberia.