There is a new wave sweeping the medical industry. It is known as biotechnology. This is the technology that is in widespread use to detect and treat human diseases.

Diagnosis of Genetic Diseases

Genetic diseases result from a gene defect that is inherited from predecessors (e.g. mother or father). This defect could simply be a gene that is missing or a duplicate gene for that matter. Either way, if the conditions are favorable the result could be disastrous. The result could simply be a gene that will be passed down to descendants or the result could very well be a lethal disease. Some of the more commonly known genetic diseases are Alzheimer's Disease, hemophilia, and sickle cell anemia. These are all to the point where they can now be identified earlier through the use of gene therapy. Gene therapy allows for rapid and reliable diagnosis of genetic diseases, as well as detection and prediction of genetic disorders.

Alzheimer's Disease is identified when millions of brain cells have died leaving large holes in the brain itself. This disease can be the result of a stroke as well as genetic. This disease however seems to differ depending on how it was contracted (that is genetically or consequently). If it was contracted genetically, in many cases the normal symptoms are not present. The normal symptoms being confusion as well as memory loss. On the other hand, if Alzheimer's arose as a result of a stroke, rarely does the patient escape the above-mentioned symptoms. It is complications like these that made genetic identification so difficult.

Hemophilia is a genetic disorder and responsible for preventing one's blood from clotting. Clotting is what one's body does to stop bleeding. A common result of clotting is a scab. In hemophilia patients, if they get a cut etc. clotting will not happen and as a result he/she will bleed for a longer period of time.

The last above-mentioned genetic disease is sickle cell anemia. Red blood cells are normally round. In sickle cell anemia, the red blood cells take on a sickle shape. This makes the blood thicker and affects the red blood cell's ability to carry oxygen to the body's tissues. The result is a disease that affects many systems in the body. The following are the common symptoms: Pain, ranging from mild to severe, in the chest, joints, back, or abdomen; Swollen hands and feet; Repeated infections, particularly pneumonia or meningitis; Kidney failure; Gallstones (at an early age); Strokes (at an early age).

Treatment of Genetic Diseases

All of the above-mentioned genetic diseases can be treated by gene therapy. Gene therapy entails detecting a genetic defect associated with a disease and correcting that defect by administering the correct DNA sequence to the defective cells. This technology is aimed at the source of the problem and then reacts accordingly. There are different methods of gene therapy. Originally, in gene therapy, a normal copy of the defective gene was virtually used to replace the defective one. The normal gene would take over and then react the way the defective gene was originally designed to react. Since then, new methods of gene therapy have been developed. One such method involves a gene transfer to code for a specific protein that might rectify the problem internally; this would happen by increasing the production of corrective proteins. Another method includes injecting "bad" genes into the undesired cells. These genes would then destroy the targeted cells.