You searched for: “thalassemia
thalassemia (s) (noun), thalassemias (pl)
A hereditary hemolytic anemia common in malarious (or formerly malarious) areas: Thalassemia is prevalent around the Mediterranean and is caused by a dysfunction in the synthesis of the red blood pigment, hemoglobin.
This entry is located in the following unit: thalasso-, thalass-, thalassi-, thalassio-, thalatto-, thalatt- + (page 1)
thalassemia, thalassaemia
1. An inherited form of anemia occurring chiefly among people of Mediterranean descent, caused by faulty synthesis of part of the hemoglobin molecule.
2. A hereditary form of anemia, particularly prevalent around the Mediterranean, that is caused by a dysfunction in the synthesis of the red blood pigment hemoglobin.

Not just one disease but rather a complex series of genetic (inherited) disorders all of which involve underproduction of hemoglobin, the indispensable molecule in red blood cells that carries oxygen.

This entry is located in the following unit: -emia, -aemia + (page 5)