Genetic characteristics of thalassemia in newborns in Baisha Li Autonomous County, Hainan Province / 中华地方病学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To understand the incidence and genetic characteristics of thalassemia in newborns in Baisha Li Autonomous County, Hainan Province, and to provide data support for government decision-making departments to formulate appropriate policies for prevention and control of thalassemia.Methods:With the help of Newborn Disease Screening Network of Hainan Province, samples of dry blood spots on the heels of newborns born in Baisha Li Autonomous County from January to June 2020 were collected based on the principle of informed consent. Fluorescent PCR melting curve method was used to detect the common types of thalassemia genes in Chinese population, and some samples were verified by the PCR + flow-through hybridization method. Samples of suspected new or rare mutations were sent to gene companies for sequencing analysis.Results:A total of 391 samples of neonatal dry blood spots were collected, and 252 samples with thalassemia genes were detected, the detection rate was 64.45% (252/391). Among them, 213 samples with α-thalassemia genes were detected, and the detection rate was 54.48% (213/391); 13 samples with β-thalassemia genes were detected, and the detection rate was 3.32% (13/391); 26 samples with α- and β-thalassemia genes were detected, and the detection rate was 6.65% (26/391). Among the above mentioned thalassemia genotypes, 1 case of rare type α-thalassemia -α 4.2/HKαα and 1 case of rare type β-thalassemia β CD39/β N were detected. According to ethnicity, 176 samples with thalassemia genes were detected in 238 Li samples, with a detection rate of 73.95% (176/238); 67 samples with thalassemia genes were detected in 137 Han samples, with a detection rate of 48.91% (67/137); 9 samples with thalassemia genes were detected in 16 other ethnic samples, with a detection rate of 56.25% (9/16). Conclusions:The detection rate of neonatal thalassemia genes is relatively high in Baisha Li Autonomous County, Hainan Province, and α-thalassemia is the most common. It is recommended that relevant government departments of Hainan Province should carry out genetic testing of neonatal thalassemia in Baisha Li Autonomous County as soon as possible to ensure the quality of life of the newborns.