The results showed a significant presence of G-6-PD deficiency with predominance of a severe G-6-PD deficiency type in these blood donors in Sana'a City, which could represent an important health problem through occurrence of hemolytic anemia under oxidative stress. A larger sample size is needed to determine the overall prevalence of G-6-PD deficiency, and should be extended to include DNA analysis to identify its variants in Yemen.

Objectives: To assess the knowledge and attitudes of Sana'a University medical students towards premarital screening (PMS). Methods:A cross-sectional study was conducted among the students of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Sana'a University, during the academic year 2012/2013. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to 516 Yemeni students. The questionnaire was composed of three parts; the first part was about socio-demographic data, the second part was about the students' knowledge about PMS and the third part was about their attitudes towards the PMS.Results: Most of the respondents (92%) knew that PMS reduces hereditary and sexually-transmitted diseases, believed that it is important to carry out and agreed to do it. Making PMS mandatory and legal prevention of marriage in case of positive results were accepted by 82% and 62% of the respondents, respectively. Conclusions:Although the majority of Sana'a University medical students favored PMS and had a fair knowledge about most of its aspects, a small proportion of them refused its mandating or legally preventing at-risk marriages. These negative attitudes could be reversed by health education of medical students on PMS.

Blood samples were collected from 699 patients attending out patient clinics in Sana'a City, Yemen, to obtain some idea of the prevalence of the thalassemias in our country. Complete blood count, hemoglobin (Hb) electrophoresis, quantitation of Hb A(2) and Hb F, and serum ferritin were determined. Microcytic, hypochromic red cells were found in 103 subjects (14.7%). Iron deficiency alone accounted for only a small proportion of these (n = 12), whereas features suggestive of beta-thalassemia (beta-thal) were present in 31 patients (4.43%) and features suggestive of alpha-thal trait were found in 60 patients (8.6%). The study showed that thalassemia probably accounts for most red cell microcytosis in these out patient clinics, and could represent a significant health problem through births of homozygotes and compound heterozygotes with severe disorders. This pilot study should be repeated with improved technology, and extended to include globin gene analysis to define the nature of the disorders that remain poorly diagnosed.

To determine the prevalence of the sickle cell gene (betaS) in Yemen and amongst people from different regions of the country living in the capital, Sana'a City, cord blood samples from 1,500 consenting mothers were collected from hospitals in Sana'a City between July and December 2001. The names and original homes of the parents were recorded. Cation exchange high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis was used for screening, while isoelectric focusing (IEF) and DNA polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were used to confirm Hb S [beta6(A3)Glu-->Val]. Thirty-three samples were found to show Hb FAS, giving an overall likely betaS gene frequency of 0.011. The betaS gene frequency varied with the part of the country from which the parents came. Amongst people from Taiz and Haja in the west, the gene frequency was more than 0.04, but less than 0.004 amongst people from Ibb, adjacent to the governorate (administrative division) of Taiz. Of 66 chromosomes from babies carrying the betaS gene, only 1.5% also carried the -158 (C-->T) Ggamma-globin gene XmnI site compared with 16.1% of 168 chromosomes from babies without the betaS gene from the same regions. The results of this study show a higher betaS gene frequency in the western coastal part of Yemen than in the central mountainous and eastern desert areas. The incidence of affected homozygous births may therefore reach 20/10,000 in certain areas, although it is much lower than this overall. Limited health resources can best be invested in developing a program of education, screening and health care, initially prioritizing those communities residing in the western areas of Yemen with the highest betaS gene frequency.

A pilot study was conducted to determine the prevalence and haematological characteristics of the interaction between thalassaemia or/and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency in patients with sickle-cell disorder (SCD) in Taiz city, Yemen, where the prevalence of sickle-cell trait (HbAS) is 8.2%. Blood samples were collected from 31 SCD patients. Complete blood count and haemoglobin electrophoresis, G6PD activity and serum ferritin were determined. Thalassaemia was found in 6 patients (19.4%) and G6PD deficiency (6 mild and 1 severe) was detected in 7 patients (22.6%). The frequency of thalassaemia and/or G6PD deficiency with SCD was high and this may have an effect on the severity of the clinical course of SCD in Taiz. The study should be repeated with DNA analysis to define the nature of the globin gene defect and to clarify its role in the severity of SCD. 1Department of Haematology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Sana'a University, Sana'a, Yemen (Correspondence to H.A. Al-Nood: hafizalnood@yahoo.co.uk RÉSUMÉ Une étude pilote a été conduite pour déterminer la prévalence de la thalassémie et/ou du déficit en glucose-6-phosphate déshydrogénase (G6PD) chez des patients atteints de drépanocytose et pour analyser les caractéristiques hématologiques de leur interaction avec la drépanocytose dans la ville de Taïz au Yémen, où la prévalence du trait drépanocytaire (HbAS) est de 8,2 %. Des échantillons de sang ont été prélevés chez 31 patients atteints de drépanocytose. Des analyses ont été réalisées pour déterminer les résultats d'une numération formule sanguine, d'une électrophorèse de l'hémoglobine, de l'activité de la glucose-6-phosphate déshydrogénase et de la ferritine sérique. Le diagnostic de thalassémie a été posé chez six patients (19,4 %) et celui de déficit en glucose-6-phosphate déshydrogénase chez sept patients (22,6 %), parmi lesquels six patients étaient atteints d'une forme modérée et un patient d'une forme sévère. La fréquence de l'association de la thalassémie ou/ et du déficit en glucose 6 phosphate déshydrogénase à la drépanocytose était élevée et pourrait influer sur la sévérité de l'évolution clinique de la drépanocytose à Taïz. Il serait souhaitable de reconduire la présente étude en analysant l'ADN pour définir la nature de l'anomalie du gène de la globine et pour clarifier son rôle dans le degré de sévérité de la drépanocytose. ‫املتوسط‬ ‫لرشق‬ ‫الصحية‬ ‫املجلة‬ ‫عرش‬ ‫السابع‬ ‫املجلد‬ ‫اخلامس‬ ‫العدد‬ 405