The prevalence and severity of the thalassemia
yndromes are population dependent (1).
halassemia minor results in a variable degree of
he
disease but, depending on the rate of β-chain
roduction,
usually presents as asymptomatic
nemia of mild degree (2). β-thalassemia is the
most common hereditary disease in Iran and more
han 2 million carriers of the β-thalassemia mutant
ene are living in this country.
About 110 mutant genes have been recognized
ll over the world of which 21 have been identified