Haemoglobin K Woolwich: a study of the family of a homozygote.

Abstract

Haemoglobin K Woolwich (Hb KW) was first described in a West Indian family' and was then described from Nigeria2 and Ghana,3 mainly in the heterozygous form but also in double heterozygous combination with Hb S or Hb C.In the Ivory Coast it has been seen from 1969 and it is in this part of Africa that most of the subjects with Hb KW are observed. 4 We have now studied a family of which six members are heterozygotes for Hb KW and one is a Hb KW homozygote. MethodsBlood samples were collected in EDTA or in ACD and transported on ice to Abidjan. Routine haematological studies were done using standard methods. Reticulocytes were counted after incubating blood with brilliant cresyl blue. Serum iron was measured by the Meckotest method and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity by the technique of Motulsky

Hemoglobin K-Woolwich (Hb KW): Its Combination with Sickle Cell Trait

“…In this family, elevated levels of Hb A2 were observed in heterozygotes and reduced synthesis of βKW chains, compared to βA chains observed in one case [7]. In 1980, Cabannes et al described a family from Akan population in which the proband was homozygous for KW and several relatives were heterozygous [8]. The proband as well as the heterozygotes were clinically and hematologi-cally normal, except for malarial crises.…”