Abstract

SALAZAR-LUGO, Raquel. Hemoglobin in the Venezuelan population. Invest. clín [online]. 2004, vol.45, n.2, pp.175-183. ISSN 0535-5133.

Abstract Hemoglobin variants were introduced in Venezuela mainly by the descendants of African slaves; their distribution is determined by the flow of these populations into the country. The most prevalent hemoglobin variants are Hb S and Hb C. Hb S has a frequency between 0 and 7% depending on the African component of the region. The study of β^S gene linked haplotypes has been used to investigate the origins of African populations in America. In Venezuela, the β^S mutation is associated with the Benin and Bantu haplotypes (CAR) with a high frequency. According to these results the Africans transported to Venezuela were of Bantu origin as it has been showed by the historical records

Keywords : S hemoglobin; S globin haplotypes; hemoglobin variants; Venezuela.