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Hereditary Haemochromatosis (iron overload disorder)
African Iron Overload (previously known as African siderosis):
AIO is a condition observed in sub-Saharan Africans. It is characterized by the accumulation of large amounts of iron in the reticuloendothelial cells of the liver, spleen and bone marrow as well as in hepatocytes. Iron overload is a common condition in individuals of African descent, where the prevalence of excessive body iron sufficient to cause liver damage affects as many as 10% of the population in some areas.
Click here to read more Hereditary Haemochromatosis (iron overload disorder):
HH is a disorder that causes the body to absorb too much iron from the diet. The excess iron is stored in the body's tissues and organs, particularly the skin, heart, liver, pancreas, and joints. Because humans cannot increase the excretion of iron, excess iron can overload and eventually damage tissues and organs, especially the liver and heart. For this reason, haemochromatosis is also called an iron overload disorder.
Early symptoms of HH are nonspecific and may include fatigue, joint pain, abdominal pain, and loss of sex drive. Later signs and symptoms can include arthritis, liver disease, diabetes, heart abnormalities, and skin discoloration. The appearance and progression of symptoms can be affected by environmental and lifestyle factors such as the amount of iron in the diet, alcohol use, and infections. Type 1 HH affects about 1 million people of Northern European descent. The other types of HH are considered rare and have been studied in only a small number of families worldwide. Click here to read more  To read .pdf files, you need Acrobat Reader. To download this, click here.
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