272,000 or 1,000 people. There have been 4,000 hospitalized cases in England in 2002 and 9,233 consultant episodes for thalassemia. Men accounted for 53% of hospital consultant episodes and women accounted for 47%. The mean patient age is 23, with only 1% of consultants being older than 75, and 69% being 15–59. It is estimated that 1.5% of the world's population are carriers and 40,000 affected infants are born with the disease annually. Beta thalassemia major is usually fatal in infancy if blood transfusions are not initiated immediately. See also Alpha-thalassemia Anisopoikilocytosis (variance in red blood cell size, usually as a result of beta thalassemia) Delta-thalassemia Hemoglobinopathy References Further reading External links Disorders of globin and globulin proteins Hereditary hemolytic anemias Rare diseases