INTERACTION OF GLUCOSE-6-PHOSPHATE DEHYDROGENASE (G6PD) ENZYME DEFICIENCY AND HAEMOGLOBIN E (HBE) IN TWO TRIBES CO-EXISTING IN THE MALARIAL ZONE OF ASSAM, INDIA.

Abstract

  The paper intended to examine the interaction of two malaria protective genetic traits in the Karbi and the Dimasa populations co-existing in the malarial zone of the Autonomous hill districts of Assam. The frequency of the G6PD deficiency among the Karbi was 8.54% which is comparatively higher than that in the Dimasa (4.96%).The Chi-square comparison between the two populations with respect to G6PD deficiency shows that there is no significant difference between the Dimasa and the Karbi population (X²=2.596; p=0.10712). It is pertinent to mention here that three homozygous female Karbi individuals was found G6PD deficient but not a single from the Dimasa population. The genotype frequency of HbE among the Dimasa was 0.483 which is comparatively higher than that of Karbi (0.211). The Chi-square comparison between the two populations concerning to G6PD HbE shows that there is a significant difference between the Dimasa and the Karbi populations (X²=73.905; p=0.00001). A higher incidence of the HbE gene is observed in the population where lower G6PD deficiency is encountered. A significant difference in the prevalence of two malaria protective traits suggests that endogamous and intermarriage may the genes hold in the population and get augmented over time irrespective of malaria.