In a college bulletin board, following notice was given. “A blood donation camp will be arranged in the school premises for a week to help children suffering from Thallasemia. Anyone above 18 years of age and those who are healthy can donate blood.” Raju discuss about the camp to his parents and asked them to donate blood. His parents refused saying that blood donation will weaken him. (a) If you were in place of Raju, how would you convince your parents to donate blood? (b) What is Thallasemia? (c) How is it transmitted /inherited? Explain in detail.
Answers
b) Thalassemia is a genetic blood disorder. People with Thalassemia disease are not able to make enough hemoglobin, which causes severe anemia. Hemoglobin is found in red blood cells and carries oxygen to all parts of the body. When there is not enough hemoglobin in the red blood cells, oxygen cannot get to all parts of the body. Organs then become starved for oxygen and are unable to function properly.
c)The disease is passed to children by parents who carry the mutated thalassemia gene. A child who inherits one mutated gene is a carrier, which is sometimes called "thalassemia trait." Most carriers lead completely normal, healthy lives.
A child who inherits two thalassemia trait genes - one from each parent - will have the disease. A child of two carriers has a 25 percent chance of receiving two trait genes and developing the disease, and a 50 percent chance of being a thalassemia trait carrier.