Hemochromatosis

  • Most common inherited disease in Caucasians
  • Genetic susceptibility is 1 in 250 in people with a European genetic background
  • Caused by an inappropriate increase in iron absorption leading to iron deposition in the liver and other organs
  • SLULC investigators were directly involved in gene discovery published in 1996
  • Easily treated by frequent blood donations
  • Important to detect early to start treatment before liver damage occurs which can typically start by age 40 in men and age 60 in women