PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - M C Willcox AU - D J Weatherall AU - J B Clegg TI - Homozygous beta thalassaemia in Liberia. AID - 10.1136/jmg.12.2.165 DP - 1975 Jun 01 TA - Journal of Medical Genetics PG - 165--173 VI - 12 IP - 2 4099 - http://jmg.bmj.com/content/12/2/165.short 4100 - http://jmg.bmj.com/content/12/2/165.full SO - J Med Genet1975 Jun 01; 12 AB - The clinical and haematological findings in 19 Liberians probably homozygous for beta thalassaemia are described. The haemoglobin patterns were similar with Hb F levels in the 30-50% range and a raised level of Hb A2 and, although the clinical severity varied widely, over half the cases were symptomless and even the more severely affected ones showed a milder picture than that found in Mediterranean races. Haemoglobin-synthesis studies carried out on three homozygotes and two heterozygotes indicated a variable degree of globin-chain imbalance. The reasons for the mild course of the disease in Liberians and other African races are discussed; it is likely that the beta-thalassaemia genes in these populations are different from those in other racial groups. It is noted that all persons in this study belong to tribes which have a low incidence of the sickle-cell gene.