The disorder is caused by mutation in the gene that tells the body to make the iron-rich compound that makes blood red and enables red blood cells to carry oxygen from the lungs throughout the body (hemoglobin).
Cutar tana faruwa ne sakamakon canji a cikin qwayoyin halitta da suke umartar jiki da ya samr da wani mahaxi da ke cike da sinadarin iron wanda ke sanya jini ya yi ja sannan kuma yake barin sassan jiki su xauki iska daga huhu zuwa sauaran sassa na jiki.