Arabic Diseases
Genetic disease is common in the Arab world. One theory regarding this prevalence of genetic disease in Arab countries is that two-thirds of marriages are between cousins and therefore lead to an increase in recessive disorders. Couples tend to marry and have children younger in Arab countries, as well as having large families, which could also contribute to the prevalence of genetic disease. Arabic people have had education offered in regard to controlling genetic diseases; however, these efforts have been poorly received and developed. Some of the main genetic diseases prevalent in Arab countries are hemoglobin disorders, birth defects, inherited metabolic diseases and neurogenetic disorders .
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Hemoglobin Disorders
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There are genes in our body that produce hemoglobin. These genes also control the expression of the hemoglobin protein. Abnormalities or defects in these genes can result in one of the hemoglobin disorders. A parent with mutations in hemoglobin-controlling genes will pass these mutated genes on to the children. Examples of hemoglobin disorders are sickle cell disease and thalassemia.
Birth Defects
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Arab countries have the highest prevalence of birth defects in the world, according to the March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation Report in 2006. Not only do Arab countries have the highest prevalence of birth defects, many of these disorders are specific to Arab countries. Multiple pterygium syndrome, Down syndrome, microcephaly and Bardet-Biedl syndrome are examples of the disorders causing birth defects.
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Inherited Metabolic Diseases
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The nervous system is affected by an inherited metabolic disease. Examples of inherited metabolic diseases are amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and frontotemporal and peripheral neuropathies. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is more commonly referred to as ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease.
Neurogenetic Disorders
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Examples of neurogenetic disorders are Tourette's syndrome, Wilson's disease, Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, mitochondrial encephalomyopathies and Niemann-Pick disease. A defect in one or more genes that affect the neuroectoderm is another definition for a neurogenetic disease. According to the Department of Neurology at the University of Washington, there are more than 200 different types of inherited neurogenetic disorders.
The Arab World
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The Arab world includes countries from the Atlantic Ocean to the Arabian/Persian Gulf and encompasses 22 countries and 240 million people. To better control the prevalence of genetic diseases in Arab countries, education and preventative measures need to be supported and encouraged.
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- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of D. Sharon Pruitt
