thalassaemia

/ ˌθæləˈsiːmɪə /

noun

1. Also called: Cooley's anaemia. a hereditary disease, common in many parts of the world, resulting from defects in the synthesis of the red blood pigment haemoglobin

Word History and Origins

Origin of thalassaemia¹

New Latin, from Greek thalassa sea + _-aemia , from it being esp prevalent round the eastern Mediterranean Sea

Example Sentences

Crucially, it is only the adult form of haemoglobin that is affected by beta thalassaemia.

Read more on BBC

People with beta thalassaemia do not produce enough haemoglobin, which is used by red blood cells to carry oxygen around the body.

Read more on BBC

The same genetic procedure has been performed on a total of 45 patients with either sickle cell disease or another blood disorder called beta thalassaemia, which is caused by malformed haemoglobin.

Read more on BBC

Abhijit suffered from thalassaemia major, a disorder where his haemoglobin count was dangerously low and he required frequent blood transfusions.

Read more on BBC

Dr Amit Raithatha, from London, suffers from thalassaemia, a rare blood disorder that means he produces very little haemoglobin, which is used by blood cells to carry oxygen around the body.

Read more on BBC