Background: Alpha-thalassaemia is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by defective production of the
alpha chain of haemoglobin. It is caused mainly by deletions of one or both of the duplicated alpha-globin genes
on chromosome 16, and/or by nucleotide variations, known as “nondeletion” mutations. Definition of the alpha
globin genotype in carriers supports genetic counselling, and in patients with Hb H disease is useful to predict
prognosis and management options. Here, we report a method that facilitates direct detection by naked eye of
the 13 most common “nondeletion” alpha-globin gene mutations in populations around the Mediterranean
and Middle East.