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Malaria-protective traits at odds in Africa?

Nature Genetics volume 37, pages 1160–1162 (2005)Cite this article

Sickle hemoglobin and α-thalassemia evolved as two of the most common human genetic polymorphisms because they confer protection against malaria. New evidence suggests that their effects may interfere with each other, raising questions about these hemoglobinopathies and their mechanisms of protection.

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Figure 1: Approximate distributions of malaria, HbS and α+-thalassemia in sub-Saharan Africa.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. the Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, 20892-8132, Maryland, USA

    Thomas E Wellems & Rick M Fairhurst

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  1. Thomas E Wellems
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  2. Rick M Fairhurst
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Wellems, T., Fairhurst, R. Malaria-protective traits at odds in Africa?. Nat Genet 37, 1160–1162 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/ng1105-1160

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