QQuestionMedicine
QuestionMedicine
"What is the reason that methemoglobinemia was isolated to the Troublesome Creek area of Kentucky?
In other words, why was the disorder only prevalent in Kentucky? Why didn't other states see cases like this?"
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Answer
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Step 1: Understand the Problem
The problem asks us to explain why methemoglobinemia, a genetic disorder, was isolated to the Troublesome Creek area of Kentucky. This implies that we need to find factors that could have led to the concentration of this disorder in this specific region but not in other states.
Step 2: Research Relevant Factors
Methemoglobinemia is a recessive genetic disorder, meaning that both parents must carry the defective gene and pass it on to their child for the disorder to occur. The disorder affects the ability of hemoglobin in red blood cells to transport oxygen throughout the body. In the Troublesome Creek area of Kentucky, this disorder was linked to a specific genetic mutation, namely the mutation of the NADH-cytochrome b^5 reductase gene.
Final Answer
Methemoglobinemia was isolated to the Troublesome Creek area of Kentucky due to a combination of factors, including the founder effect, geographical and social isolation, and consanguinity. These factors led to a decrease in genetic diversity and an increase in the prevalence of the recessive methemoglobinemia-causing gene mutation in the local population.
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