PREVALENCE AND MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION OF G6PD DEFICIENT VARIANTS IN SULYMANIA PROVINCE –IRAQ

Abstract

Background and objectives Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase deficiency is the most common inherited hematological disorder among Iraqis. Studies have addressed its prevalence in several parts of the country, but neither the prevalence nor the molecular variants have been studied in the Sulymania province-northeastern Iraq. This study aimed at addressing the latter issue.Methods A total of 838 random healthy male individuals from Sulymania province were screened for glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency using a fluorescent spot test. If deficient, the results were confirmed by quantitative enzyme assay. Deficient individuals with adequate samples had their DNA extracted and analyzed for four deficient molecular variants using a Polymerase Chain Reaction-Restriction fragment polymorphism method. These variants were the Mediterranean (563 C - ts respectively.Results -6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficient. Forty of these individuals had adequate samples to analyze for the four deficienthad the Chatham variants. No cases of A- or Cosenza variants were identified, leaving 6 cases uncharacterized.Conclusions -6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency in Sulymania, an area of northeast Iraq that has not been previously studied.Furthermore, it was found that Mediterranean and Chatham variants constitute the bulk of glucose 6 phosphate dehydrogenase deficient variants in this province.