Genetics of Castes and Tribes of India: Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency and Abnormal Haemoglobins (HbS and HbE)

Abstract

The discipline of Biological Anthropology (or Human Biology) incorporates study of biology and environmental factors, as well as the forces of micro-evolution leading to macro-evolution, which ultimately influences the structure of human populations. In the present paper and attempt has been made to study the distribution of Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency and Abnormal Haemoglobins (HBS and HBE) frequencies among the people of India, which are analysed in relation to ecological, socioeconomic and linguistic factors.

Epidemiology of Plasmodium vivax Malaria in India

“…A higher prevalence of G6PD deficiency (number evaluated) was observed in the east (6.7%, N = 2,899), central (6.1%, N = 329), and north (5.8%, N = 9,772) of India compared with the west (4.1%, N = 17,575) and south (3.2%, N = 8,908), where it is mainly confined to Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu 28. For ethnic groups, the frequency was highest in scheduled tribes (5.5%, N = 5,468) and community (4.9%, N = 22,790) compared with caste (3.6%, N = 5,303) and scheduled castes (2.7%, N = 5,922) 28. However, these proportions vary greatly depending on region, for example in north India the prevalence of G6PD deficiency is 6.6% in the caste group.…”

“…For the regions considered in more detail, the estimated prevalence of G6PD deficiency was 4.2% for Gujarat ( N = 1,473), 2.0% for Haryana ( N = 49), 0% for Karnataka ( N = 87), and 1.1% for Odisha ( N = 200) 28. Given that in 2006 when this analysis was performed, the population of these regions exceeded 160 million, the lack of data on G6PD deficiency prevalence in India is clear.…”

“…Pooling of data from 224 studies found a frequency of G6PD deficiency of 4.5%, varying from absent to 27.1% among the Angami Nagas tribe 28. A higher prevalence of G6PD deficiency (number evaluated) was observed in the east (6.7%, N = 2,899), central (6.1%, N = 329), and north (5.8%, N = 9,772) of India compared with the west (4.1%, N = 17,575) and south (3.2%, N = 8,908), where it is mainly confined to Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu 28.…”

Study of Glucose 6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase (G6pd) Deficiency in Jaundiced Neonates of a Tertiary Care Centre of North-East India

“…18 The prevalence in Assam as found by Bhasin in 2006 is 8.8%. 19 A study conducted in Manipur in 2010 by Achoubi among the different communities found high prevalence among the Manipuri Muslims (21.32%) followed by the Brahmins (9.45%) and Kabui (7.84%). 20 In Mizoram also, a high prevalence of 17.5% was found in the population.…”

Haemoglobinopathies and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency in a malaria endemic region of Manipur, northeast India

“…The frequency of G6PD*def in India varies from complete absence among the Ganchha of Rajasthan (Choubisa, 1985) to 0.271 among the Nagas of Nagaland (Bhasin, 2006).…”