Genetics of Hemochromatosis

Abstract

To the Editor: Recent studies published in the Journal ^{1 , 2} indicate that hemochromatosis is an autosomal recessive condition with calculated homozygote frequencies (q²) ranging from one in 319 among Utah Mormons² to one in 400 among Frenchmen (Brittany).³ An autopsy frequency of one in 500 was found in Scotland.⁴ Thus, hemochromatosis is among the most common genetic disorders. Prevalence studies in other populations must be used to exclude incidence figures inflated by biased ascertainment. These new estimates suggest that 8.4 to 10.5 per cent of these populations are heterozygotes (2pq) or carriers of the hemochromatosis gene. Even on the basis . . .