An Inexpensive and Easy Protocol for Detection of Beta-Thalassemia Carrier

Abstract

Thalassaemia, a hereditary haemolytic anaemia, is a disease of utmost medical importance. It occurs due to synthesis of one or more globin polypeptide chains in reduced rate. The carriers of these defective genes show no clinical manifestation, and thus considered medically fit apparently. But when both the parents are carriers of thalassaemia, the siblings show the thalassaemia disease. Thus, screening of thalassaemia carrier is medically very important before marriage. But in a country like India where many peoples live in a low socio-economic condition, this carrier detection is still now not widely accepted. It is mainly due to the high cost of the screening procedure using HPLC. The method used in this system requires simple bench centrifuge, glass goods and biochemical reagent solutions, and thus can be done in any health care centre even in remote areas. The reagent solution used in this study can be stored at 4^oC for 1 year. The turbidity test can be visualized easily by any semi-trained person. So, sophisticated trained personnel are also not required here. For a Gold Standard test using HPLC requires at least Rs. 650/-, but this biochemical method only requires Rs. 5/- per test, maintaining equal accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity. Thus, this simple, easy-to-do, low-cost biochemical method can be implemented for mass-screening of beta-thalassaemia carrier detection.