RESUMEN
A prospective study of 300 adult subjects of either sex was conducted to evaluate the existence of hereditary persistence of foetal haemoglobin [HPFH] in our population. The majority of the subjects [98%] were found to have H[b]F values less than 2% with a mean SD of 0.73 +/- 0.54% and showed H[b]A2 levels as 2.67 +/- 0.66%. Only six subjects [2%] had moderate elevation of H[b]F [2% and above] and they all showed associated increase of H[b]A2 levels above the normal. Increased H[b]A2 levels in conjuction with elevation of H[b]F indicated the presence of heterozygous beta thalassaemia trait among this group. The incidence of thalassaemia trait in the 300 subjects studied was found to be 1.6%. The distribution of H[b]F in the erythrocytes was found to be heterocellular. Moderate rise of H[b]F in the individuals with uneven distribution, ruled out the existence of pancellular form of HPFH while the associated elevation of H[b]A2 was not consistent with heterocellular form of HPFH. Thus the existence of gene for HPFH among these subjects could not be proved