Hemophilia

What is Hemophilia?

Hemophilia is an uncommon but extremely deadly disease that decreases the body’s ability to create blood clots. The word hemophilia comes from the two Greek words, haima, which means blood, and philia, meaning infection. There are two types of hemophilia; type A and type B. Hemophilia is also known as Christmas disease. It was named after Steven Christmas who was the first person diagnosed with Hemophilia type B. Those who suffer from type A hemophilia do not have a sufficient amount of the blood clotting protein, factor VIII, and those who have type B hemophilia, do not have enough of the blood clotting protein, factor XI. Type A hemophilia is more common than type B. Most people with Hemophilia do not bleed more heavily than a regular person. They simply bleed for a longer period of time. Someone who has hemophilia may bleed for hours after getting a cut or scrape, however, bleeding on the outside is not the most dangerous aspect of hemophilia; internal bleeding is. Bleeding in the brain, joints, muscles, and tissues can be deadly to a hemophiliac.

Causes

Hemophilia is a genetically transmitted disease. The hemophilia defective gene is carried on the X chromosome. Men have one X chromosome, and if their one chromosome carries the defective gene, then that man will have the disease hemophilia. Women, on the other hand, have two chromosomes and they will only have hemophilia if both chromosomes carry the gene. Women who have the defective gene will give the defective chromosome to fifty percent of her children. In some rare cases, people have obtained the disease when it was not a factor in their family’s history. This was due to a rare mutation of a gene on the chromosome.

Symptoms

The main symptom of hemophilia is prolonged bleeding. For example, after loosing a tooth, the gums of a hemophiliac can bleed for a longer measure of time. A person who has hemophilia lacks the blood protein that causes blood to form clots, factor VIII with type A hemophilia and factor IX with type B hemophilia. Since the clotting blood protein is missing, scabs do not form quickly, causing those with hemophilia to bleed longer than someone without hemophilia. Although external bleeding is not the main symptom to fret over in hemophiliacs, some victims of the disease could bleed to death in situations that those without the disease would not. Internal bleeding is a most commonly found in the joints and muscles. The matter that makes hemophilia deadly disease, however, is bleeding in the brain.

Treatments

Hemophilia, sadly, does not have a standard treatment however some methods can help those who have the disease. Hemophiliacs may have injections of the clotting factor they are missing to help their blood to clot. Those who have hemophilia type A can receive an injection of clotting protein factor VIII. Hemophilia type B victims can receive the clotting protein factor IX. Some hemophiliacs may experience an occurrence of antibodies against the injections. In this case, one will have to take more of the factor they need than usual or they may have to have injections of other factors as well.

This shows the progression of how hemophilia affects the body.

Links:Homepage, Influenza, Sickle Cell Anemia, Mad Cow, Bacterial Endocarditis, Hemophilia, Ebola, Huntington's, Lou Gehrigs, Cardiomyopathy, Pancreatic Cancer, Credits, Team Page, Glossary, Text Only, Activity Page, For a cool brain click here, German translation