The Blu Bayou: Project Post Five (Genetic Abnormalities)

Project Post Five

Since we are studying genetics, we are going to post some information on genetic disorders. Your job is to post information about two genetic disorders.

What Is It?

Before I can go into and explain about the genetic disorders I must first, define what a genetic disorder is

A genetic :disorder is an illness caused by abnormalities in genes or chromosomes, especially a condition that is present from before birth.

The two genetic disorders I have chosen include:

Haemophila A (Hemophilia)

Sickle-Cell Anemia (Drepanocytosis)

What Are The Causes Of These Disorders?

1) Haemophila A (Hemophilia)- Is caused by the deficiency of clotting factor VIII, this is also an X-ressecive related chromosome.

2) Sickle-Cell Anemia (Drepanocytosis)- The types of haemoglobin a person makes in the red blood cells depend on what haemoglobin genes are inherited from his parents. In other words I have no idea what causes this genetic order other than passed on from parents, but that is kind of obvious (genetic disorder).

Who Does This Affect?

1) Haemophila A- This genetic disorder affects (homozygus) males, (homozygus) females, and (heterozygus) females.

2) Sickle-Cell Anemia- This is able to affect anyone. But this is most commonly found in African Americans.

How Do This Affect The Person?

1) Haemophila A- To list the affect on the people themselves would take to much room so I have enclosed a couple of hyperlinks to Webpages with the severity of the affects of Haemophila on a person.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haemophilia_A

http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/hemophilia-000076.htm

2) Sickle-Cell Anemia- Also as stated above, it would take to much room to list affects on a person, so I have enclosed hyperlinks below. (Also a pdf file hyperlink)

http://www.psych.sc.edu/pdfdocs/pepsforteachers.pdf

http://www.umm.edu/blood/sickle.htm

What Are The Treatments?

1) Haemophila- Some of the treatments include:athough there is no cure, it can be controlled with regular infusions of the deficient clotting factor, i.e. factor VIII.

2) Sickle-Cell Anemia- Bone marrow transplant offers the only potential cure for sickle cell anemia. But, finding a donor is difficult and the procedure has serious risks associated with it, including death.

How Or Can This Be Prevented?

Neither of these can be prevented or avioded, unless you want to genetically engineer your child...

What Is The Life Expactancy Of A Person With This/These Diseases?

1) Haemophila A-Without adequate treatment, many people with hemophilia die before they reach adulthood. However, with proper treatment, life expectancy for people with hemophilia is about 10 years less than that of males without hemophilia.

2) Sickle-Cell Amenia- Among children and adults with sickle cell anemia (homozygous for sickle hemoglobin), the median age at death was 42 years for males and 48 years for females. Among those with sickle cell-hemoglobin C disease, the median age at death was 60 years for males and 68 years for females. (Reasons for men dying first are because men tend to have a faster heartbeat on average, and work out more...)