Hereditary Spherocytosis is most prevalent in Caucasians, occurring in one in every 2500 of us. Or so the textbooks say. In practice it’s a very rare phenomenon. On reflection it’s an increasingly rare phenomenon.
Most cases of H.S. are very mild – the anaemia is very well compensated and patients aren’t unwell with it. Most cases these days are found because of a known family history, or because those presenting have some other reason for needing a blood count. And as blood counting technology has improved over the years, so the amount of blood films requiring scrutiny has fallen, and so more and more cases go undiagnosed.
Which really doesn’t matter: if the so-called condition isn’t symptomatic, it’s not really a condition.
Today’s talk was interesting and informative, and made me think, which is always a good thing.
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