thalassemia minor and covid immunity

As a result, our understanding of the connection to blood type continues to evolve. People with thalassaemia produce either no or too little haemoglobin, which is used by red blood cells to carry oxygen around the body. Bookshelf Am J Hematol. Thalassemias are inherited disorders characterized by abnormal production of hemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen. (2022). Yes. A few options include: Current recommendations are that for people who have been treated with Reblozyl, the medication should be continued even if a person develops COVID-19 (there is no evidence that it should be stopped). However, the results of studies have differed regarding how beta thalassemia affects outcomes. The people with hidden immunity against Covid-19 - BBC Future For people living with thalassemia, because too much iron may build up in the blood, foods high in iron may need to be limited. Careers. 2023 Jan 1;15(1):e2023007. Beta thalassemia minor or thalassemia trait. Beta thalassemia is the most common blood disorder caused by a mutation in a single gene. Within each of these types, the severity varies, from causing moderate to severe anemia to requiring frequent blood transfusions. COVID Natural Immunity: What You Need to Know What to Know About Thalassemia and COVID-19. Can You Get a COVID Vaccine If You Have Beta Thalassemia? - Healthline At this point in time, there does not appear to be any relationship between blood type and COVID-19related severity of illness or mortality.". A 2022 study found that people with beta-thalassemia trait were also at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19. In a 2021 pilot study, researchers found a strong association between the presence of beta thalassemia minor and COVID-19 mortality. Orphanet J Rare Dis. Beta Thalassemia in Children - Nationwide Children's Hospital These medications bind to iron so that it can be expelled from the body. The changing epidemiology of the ageing thalassaemia populations: a position statement of the Thalassaemia International Federation. Learn more about COVID-19 vaccination for people with beta-thalassemia or . But if you only have the trait, you may have a slightly increased risk of high blood pressure or anemia during pregnancy, according to 2022 research. If you have potential symptoms of beta thalassemia, a doctor may order a blood test to look for signs of the disease. In this study, the most common side effects in people with thalassemia were: Researchers are still examining how COVID-19 affects people with beta thalassemia. Beta-Thalassemia Minor and SARS-CoV-2: Physiopathology, Prevalence, Severity, Morbidity, and Mortality. Can COVID-19 Be A Threat For Thalassemia Patients? Find - Onlymyhealth Mark S. Lesney. Objectives: Many patients with haemoglobinopathies, including thalassaemia and sickle cell disease, are at increased risk of developing severe complications from the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). 2021;27:e929207. Certain medications have been approved to reduce the frequency of transfusions needed. Healthline Media does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. A temporary drop in hemoglobin levels was noted 3 months after vaccination. What are the risks of having COVID if you have beta thalassemia? In a 2022 study, researchers found that people with beta thalassemia minor had a higher chance of dying from COVID-19 than people in the general population. Getting a COVID-19 vaccine can help people with beta thalassemia prevent severe disease and death. This is the most severe form of this disorder. "As an individual, you have your blood typethere's nothing you can do about it.". Marhaeni W, Felicia FV, Sumadi Jap AL, Hartoyo E, Andayani P. Front Med (Lausanne). Information for people with thalassemia - COVID-19 Vaccine 2023 Feb 14;9:1082611. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2022.1082611. Coronavirus: People with thalassemia face "blood shortage", appeal for and transmitted securely. In fact, fewer than 57% of all Americans know their blood type, according to a 2019 survey from Quest Diagnostics. These transplants should proceed. It is caused by genetic defects that control the production of hemoglobin. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. In Beta thalassemia two genes are involved. (2022). While there are no specific guidelines at this time, some researchers believe that hemoglobin levels should be monitored closely in people with thalassemia if they develop COVID-19, even when symptoms are only mild. If you become infected, it's important to talk to a doctor knowledgeable about thalassemia regarding any special precautions you should take or changes to your medical plan. However, the results have been inconsistent and so the connection between COVID-19 and different blood types still isn't clear. Management of Hemoglobin Disorders During the COVID-19 Pandemic doi:10.23750/abm.v91i3.10063, Taher AT, Bou-Fakhredin R, Kreidieh F, et al. See additional information. A 2022 study found that people with beta-thalassemia trait were also at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19. Each one has different subtypes and hence the severity . A person with beta thalassemia minor . A doctor can look at your mean corpuscular volume (MCV) reading on your CBC results to determine the size of your red blood cells. People with beta thalassemia minor can have anemia so mild they dont know they have it. Front Med (Lausanne). Beta-thalassemia may protect against COVID 19 - Semantic Scholar The results align with the results of other studies from countries around the world. Noun P, Ibrahim A, Hodroj MH, Bou-Fakhredin R, Taher AT. But blood tests can only lead doctors to presume that you have the trait. official website and that any information you provide is encrypted People with beta thalassemia may be at a higher risk of developing severe disease or death, but studies are . "We all recognize that we're not the same, but we have not been able, on a genetic basis, very often, to determine whether certain people with certain genes are more or less susceptible to get an infection if they're exposed to a germ," said William Schaffner, MD, an infectious disease specialist, and professor at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. Daidone R, Carollo A, Perricone MP, Messina R, Balistreri CR. Harewood J, et al. (2020). People with certain medical conditions, Prevalence and severity of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in transfusion dependent and non-transfusion dependent -thalassemia patients and effects of associated comorbidities: an Iranian nationwide study, Care of patients with hemoglobin disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic: An overview of recommendations, Blood banking and transfusion medicine challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, The forgotten people with thalassemia in the time of COVID-19: South Asian perspective, Luspatercept improves hemoglobin levels and blood transfusion requirements in a study of patients with -thalassemia, A comprehensive review of hydroxyurea for -haemoglobinopathies: the role revisited during COVID-19 pandemic, FDA Approves First Cell-Based Gene Therapy to Treat Adult and Pediatric Patients with Beta-thalassemia Who Require Regular Blood Transfusions, Management of hemoglobin disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic, Could iron chelators prove to be useful as an adjunct to COVID-19 Treatment Regimens, Risk of transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 by transfusion: A literature review, Vitamin and mineral supplementation for -thalassemia during COVID-19 pandemic, A Southeast Asian perspective on the COVID-19 pandemic: hemoglobin E (HbE)-trait confers resistance against COVID-19, Beta-thalassemia may protect against COVID 19, SARS-CoV-2 infection in beta thalassemia: Preliminary data from the Italian experience, COVID-19 and thalassaemia: A position statement of the Thalassaemia International Federation, Challenging Times for Children With Transfusion-dependent Thalassemia Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic, Reduced immune response: Excess iron can build up in regions of the body such as the. Jason DelCollo, DO, is a board-certified medicine physician and associate faculty member at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. Thalassemia - Diagnosis | NHLBI, NIH (2022). Immune responses in beta-thalassaemia: heme - Scientific Reports WHO COVID19 Dashboard. On one side of the equation, glucocorticoids can slow the clearance of the virus from the respiratory tract. The most important thing you can do is make sure you are vaccinated and stay up to date on when boosters are needed. Some of these release special . Newborn screening practices and alpha-thalassemia detection United States, 2016. The CDC recommends mRNA vaccines for people who are moderately or severely immunocompromised. You likely wont have symptoms or may have mild symptoms. 10.1111/ejh.13410 You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. In particular, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin D, zinc, and selenium. IgA is active against several pathogens, including rotavirus, poliovirus, influenza virus, and SARS-CoV-2. Kakkar S, et al. Doctors sometimes incorrectly prescribe iron supplements for people with thalassemia trait if they mistake their symptoms for iron deficiency. In some cases, the inherited mutation can cause the HBB gene to be absent. While the link between blood type and COVID-19 risk is still unclear, it's important to note that there have been links between blood type and diseases in the past. A 2014 Chinese study found that 17.8% of people with beta-thalassemia trait also had genetic mutations that affected the alpha gene. The site is secure. Our website is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. World Health Organization (WHO) . But, overall, the link between blood type, genes, and infection risk is a growing area of research. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our. Sotiriou S, et al. Al-Shamsi HO, Alhazzani W, Alhuraiji A, Coomes EA, Chemaly RF, Almuhanna M, Wolff RA, Ibrahim NK, Chua MLK, Hotte SJ, Meyers BM, Elfiki T, Curigliano G, Eng C, Grothey A, Xie C. Oncologist. If the mutation affects two genes, you have alpha-thalassemia minor. ", Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. They only have one mutated HBB gene from their parents. Hemoglobin normally is made of four chainstwo alpha chains and two beta chains. Blood type has been identified as a risk factor in many diseases, from cancer to venous and arterial thromboembolism. Thalassemia trait means you carry the gene that causes the disease, but you dont have the disease yourself. Research suggests that people with thalassemia may be at a slightly increased risk of contracting COVID-19, especially those who are transfusion dependent which puts them at an increased risk of exposure to the virus. Thalassemia Benefits. There are three types of thalassemia, one is minor and the other two Alpha and Beta thalassemia are a major threat to health of a person. This can make them very anaemic (tired, short of breath and pale). 2020;95(8):E208-E210. Thalassemia is a blood disorder in which the body makes an abnormal form of hemoglobin. Unable to load your collection due to an error, Unable to load your delegates due to an error, Strategies to enhance information sharing between healthcare professionals and patients and their families by developing communication channel and tools (A), setting up a protocol for answering patient queries (B) and maintaining a regular flow of quality information to patients (C) [Colour figure can be viewed at, Patient pathways during the pandemic: general pathway (left panel) and transfusiondependent patient pathway (right panel) [Colour figure can be viewed at, A proposed algorithm for the diagnosis of COVID19 in patients with haemoglobinopathies [Colour figure can be viewed at. While blood transfusions and iron chelation therapy (iron-binding drugs that are sometimes given via infusion) require traveling to a clinic or hospital, there are many healthcare visits that can be handled virtually. If the mutation affects three of your genes, you have a more severe case of alpha-thalassemia. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Thalassemia International Federation urge people with thalassemia to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Hemoglobin is the iron-containing part of your red blood cells that allows them to carry oxygen throughout your body. Beta thalassemia major often needs to be treated with regular blood transfusions. COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; coronavirus; haemoglobinopathies; pandemic; thalassaemia. There are no extra safety precautions necessary for people with beta thalassemia who get vaccinated against COVID-19 when compared with people in the general population. One small study found that people with the thalassemia trait (carriers) were less likely to develop a COVID-19 infection or die from the disease. Yet, no matter how difficult the trial, there are often positive points. If you have thalassemia trait, it means you carry a genetic mutation that causes thalassemia, but you dont have the disease yourself. By. While it's always helpful to know your blood type, most people won't necessarily need to know that information. A Southeast Asian perspective on the COVID-19 pandemic: hemoglobin E (HbE)-trait confers resistance against COVID-19. Med (Lausanne). In general, people with severe diseases are at a higher risk from COVID-19. These antigens help prompt a response from your body's immune system. As a whole, experts recommend that peopleregardless of blood typekeep following CDC guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID-19. 2023 Healthline Media LLC. There are two damaged genes. It's hard to focus on positives at this time, but sometimes making an effort can help you find a sense of gratitude that would otherwise be elusive. Would you like email updates of new search results? Dr. DelCollo is board-certified in family medicine by the American Board of Family Medicine. "At the end of the day, we're still not sure if blood type makes a difference," said Dr. Russo. Hemoglobin is the component of red blood cells that carries oxygen to the tissues of the body. Quite a bit of research has been published about blood type and COVID-19 risk. For many people with alopecia areata, dietary changes and adding certain supplements can help manage and treat the condition. Theres no cure for Nijmegen breakage syndrome, but its complications can be treated. Some genes contribute to the alpha chain, while others contribute to the beta chain. eCollection 2023. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an emerging infectious disease that has become a global public health concern after being first reported in China and has subsequently spread worldwide. Shortness of breath is a common symptom of anemia. Conclusions: Can Being Heterozygous for the Beta-Thalassemia Trait Affect Your Pregnancy? Here are some frequently asked questions people have about beta thalassemia and COVID-19 vaccines. Healthline Media does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. According to this systematic-review meta-analysis, beta-thalassemia carriers could be less affected by CO VID-19 than the general population and more susceptible to die from COVID-19 or one of its consequences. Care of patients with hemoglobin disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic: An overview of recommendations. Marion Cook. Researchers found no link between blood type and COVID-19 risk, adding that more research was needed on the topic. COVID-19. Keywords: April 20, 2020. Am J Hematol. Some researchers hypothesize that thalassemia might be protective against COVID-19 as it is against malaria. 2023 Feb 9;10:1056599. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1056599. People with thalassemia trait dont usually have symptoms. Thalassemias. The first study, conducted by . Disclaimer. At the current time, there is no evidence that the SARS-CoV-2 virus can be transmitted by blood transfusion, and if present at all, the risk is likely to be very low. COVID-19 and thalassaemia: A position statement of the Thalassaemia International Federation. ; 4 Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences . S124: Adverse events following COVID-19 vaccination in transfusion-dependent thalassemia patients. The ways that a healthcare provider diagnoses thalassemia depends on the type of thalassemia you have. A protein called the Rh factor can also be present (+) or absent (-) from the blood. Beta Thalassemia | Johns Hopkins Medicine Current recommendations are that a person's usual regimen of transfusions should be continued during the pandemic. A second dose of Pfizer or Moderna at least 4 weeks after 1st dose, less susceptibility to developing COVID-19, fewer intensive care unit (ICU) admissions, higher susceptibility to dying from COVID-19, surgery to remove your spleen or gallbladder. Possible symptoms include: Doctors sometimes mistake symptoms of thalassemia trait for iron deficiency. While the latest research suggests that antibodies against Covid-19 could be lost in just three months, a new hope has appeared on the horizon: the enigmatic T cell. Thalassemia is an inherited (i.e., passed from parents to children through genes) blood disorder caused when the body doesn't make enough of a protein called hemoglobin, an important part of red blood cells. The forgotten people with thalassemia in the time of COVID-19: South Asian perspective. Thalassemia: Types, Traits, Symptoms & Treatment - Cleveland Clinic The PubMed wordmark and PubMed logo are registered trademarks of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Colorized scanning electron micrograph of a cell, isolated from a . Immunity is your body's ability to protect you from getting sick when you are exposed to an infectious agent ("germ") such as a bacterium, virus, parasite or fungus. Unauthorized use of these marks is strictly prohibited. The COVID-19 pandemic is putting a lot of burden on healthcare . This blood disorder causes your body not to produce enough hemoglobin. Vaccines can help people with beta thalassemia lower their chances of getting COVID-19 or having severe illness if they do get COVID-19. In a large Iranian study, the prevalence of COVID-19 in people with non-transfusion dependent thalassemia (those with the disease not dependent on transfusions) was much higher than in the general population (45 vs. 22.3 infections per 10,000 people). When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Guidelines for the Management of NonTransfusion Dependent Thalassaemias, 2nd ed. Before Treatment is with corticosteroids. There are four types of alpha thalassemia, and two main types of beta thalassemia. (2022). One study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) in April of 2021, reviewed nearly 108,000 COVID-19 cases. 2023 Healthline Media LLC. When looking into thalassemia and COVID-19 risk, it's important to identify both the risk of potential exposure and susceptibility. doi: 10.1002/ccr3.6114. However, certain issues, such as pneumonia and respiratory failure, blood clots, and heart-related complications, should be monitored for. Immunity is a complex process that involves a lot of moving parts. "There is no real benefit for the individual person," said Torben Barington, DMSc, a clinical professor of immunology at the University of Southern Denmark and co-author of the early Danish study. Consider talking with a doctor about testing for thalassemia trait if theres a history of thalassemia or thalassemia trait in your family, or if you plan to have a child with someone who has the trait or a family history of it. People with this condition will need frequent blood transfusions. People with the intermedia or major forms of the disease have HBB mutations from both parents. Farmakis D, Giakoumis A, Angastiniotis M, Eleftheriou A. The COVID-19 pandemic may affect both the treatment of thalassemia in general and how COVID-19 is treated in people with thalassemia who become infected. People with beta thalassemia may be at a higher risk of developing severe disease or death, but studies are conflicting at this time. Since those studies, a fair amount of research has been conducted on blood type and COVID-19 risk. The Johnson & Johnsons Janssen can rarely cause arterial thrombosis, a blood clot in an artery, in people with thrombocytopenia 4 to 30 days after vaccination. EHA and TIF Explore How COVID-19 Is Affecting Thalassemia and SCD Patients. 2023 Mar 2;24(5):4809. doi: 10.3390/ijms24054809. (Note: The overall mortality rate for COVID-19 is currently less than 1%.). What is the treatment for beta thalassemia? fatalities for sickle cell anaemia carriers and for -thalassaemia carriers. If the synthesis from both genes is severely reduced or absent, the person has . Epub 2022 Jul 5. Jean-Mignard E, et al. Torti L, Sorrentino F, Maffei L, De Fabritiis P, Abruzzese E. Mediterr J Hematol Infect Dis. Published 2020 Sep 7. doi:10.23750/abm.v91i3.10063. These drugs can reduce inflammation in blood vessels (endothelial inflammation) during viral infections. Some people have been re-infected multiple times with the virus, while others appear to have avoided the virus entirely. I declare no competing interests. People with thalassemia often experience similar COVID-19 complications as those without thalassemia, but they may be at greater risk for certain problems. (2014). EHA and TIF explore how COVID-19 is affecting thalassemia and SCD patients. 1,5% global population . (2020). Beta thalassemia major (Cooley's anemia). 2020;60(12):3046-3054.doi:10.1111/trf.16056, d'argon A, Putri MG, Savitri Y, Alfaidin AMR. Li J, et al. 2023 Dotdash Media, Inc. All rights reserved, Lynne Eldrige, MD, is a lung cancer physician, patient advocate, and award-winning author of "Avoiding Cancer One Day at a Time. De Sanctis V, Canatan D, Corrons JLV, et al. However, some limited evidence suggests that certain types of thalassemia may have some protective effect against COVID-19. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. Learn more about COVID-19 vaccination for people with beta-thalassemia or beta-thalassemia trait. That said, the shortage of the blood supply has proven challenging. Those two factors make up the eight most common blood types: A+, A-, B+, B-, O+, O-, AB+, and AB-. When one of these two genes are missing, it can lead to beta thalassemia trait, or beta thalassemia minor. It's not known whether blood clots with COVID-19 are more common among people with thalassemia, but healthcare providers should be aware of this potential risk. People with beta thalassemia minor might never know they have the disease. Indian Pediatr. Still, you can pass on the disease to your child. What Are the Symptoms of Antiphospholipid Syndrome? 2021;16(1):114.doi:10.1186/s13023-021-01757-w. U.S. Food & Drug Administration. But you can still pass down the affected gene to future generations. Methods: But some silent carriers of alpha-thalassemia may need a DNA test to know for sure. Your body produces a variety of different cells that fight invading germs. This is the most important step in keeping you out of the hospital and alive. When there isn't enough hemoglobin, the body's red blood cells don't function properly and they last shorter periods of time, so there are fewer healthy red blood cells traveling . The second study (also from October 2020) from researchers in Canada looked at data from 95 patients who were severely ill with COVID-19. It protects the epithelial barriers from pathogens and modulates excessive immune responses in . The use of corticosteroid medications (such as prednisone) can have both positive and negative effects and must be carefully weighed in people with thalassemia. (2020). There are two types of thalassemia, alpha and beta. (2023). Clin Lab Med. Blood clots are fairly common with COVID-19, and many physicians view it as a disease of blood vessels. Farid Y, et al. Thalassemia is an inherited blood disorder that affects your body's ability to produce hemoglobin and healthy red blood cells. It's important to note that complications of thalassemia likely played a role in the severity of outcomes. Sotiriou S, et al. If you're living with thalassemia, you may be at greater risk for serious outcomes of COVID-19. Knowledge of your blood type is usually important if you're undergoing a blood transfusion or organ transplantbut in those situations, your medical team will test your blood type beforehand. Drouin E, et al. Key points about beta thalassemia in children. Aim: Low levels of immune-related micronutrients have been identified in -thalassemia samples. Working with your healthcare team to keep up with thalassemia treatments, getting vaccinated, and monitoring and treating for complications early if COVID-19 symptoms do develop are the recommended strategies to staying healthy through the pandemic. (2022). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends COVID-19 vaccines for everybody over 6 months of age in the United States. Epub 2020 Apr 27. Thalassemias. According to the CDC, people shouldnt get vaccinated if they have had a severe allergic reaction to a previous dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. 1 Platt L, Warwick R. Are some ethnic groups Regardless of if a specific blood type is associated with a greater risk of contracting COVID-19 and developing severe disease, keep in mind that many other factors, such as age or existing health conditions, are likely to play a larger, dominant role in determining personal risk from COVID-19. People with certain medical conditions. Regular screenings are often recommended. You'll likely need several tests by different doctors. ; 3 Hemoglobinopathies and Congenital Anemia Center, Ospedale Galliera, Genoa, Italy. This may cause you to experience mild anemia. The dosages and timing, however, should be carefully discussed with your healthcare before starting any supplement. Folic acid can help red blood cells develop. Only one gene is damaged. In order to better describe the frequency and manifestations of COVID-19 in thalassemia patients living in France, we report the cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection that occurred during the year 2020. Without enough hemoglobin, your red blood cells die more quickly, and your organs and tissues dont get enough oxygen. Covid-19: Do many people have pre-existing immunity? | The BMJ In Italy there are about 5000 patients with dependent transfusion thalassemia (source Italian Thalassemia and Hemoglobinopathies - SITE) and a smaller number, currently not definable, of patients with sickle cell anemia in chronic transfusion.
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