Astolfi P, Lisa A, Degioanni A, Tagarelli A, Zei G
Dipartimento di Genetica e Microbiologia A. Buzzati Traverso, Pavia, Italy.
Ann Hum Biol. 1999 Mar-Apr;26(2):163-73. doi: 10.1080/030144699282868.
The role of natural selection in maintaining the thalassemia polymorphism is examined in a southern Italy district, in the past affected by malaria endemia. The Haldane's hypothesis that the thalassemia heterozygotes enjoy more protection than the normal homozygotes against the risk of malaria infection, seems to be confirmed by this indirect study at population level. The higher number of children born of the women who lived in the highly endemic villages, where the highest proportion of heterozygotes occurs, supports the hypothesis that the woman fertility contributes to the thalassemia maintenance. The joint effects of the acquired and inherited immunities and of the reproductive compensation are assumed as the mechanisms through which malaria and thalassemia influence fertility.
在意大利南部一个过去受疟疾流行影响的地区，研究了自然选择在维持地中海贫血基因多态性方面的作用。通过这项在群体水平上的间接研究，霍尔丹的假说——地中海贫血杂合子比正常纯合子在预防疟疾感染风险方面享有更多保护——似乎得到了证实。生活在高度流行村庄的女性所生育的孩子数量更多，而这些村庄中杂合子的比例最高，这支持了女性生育力有助于维持地中海贫血的假说。后天免疫和遗传免疫以及生殖补偿的共同作用被假定为疟疾和地中海贫血影响生育力的机制。
