Humasis

Humasis G6PD is an in vitro diagnostic test designed for qualitative detection of human Glucose-6-phos- phate dehydrogenase (G6PD) in whole blood.

What is G6PD?
Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) is a ubiquitous enzyme crucial for redox metabolism in aerobic cells. Insufficient G6PD activity is especially significant risk to red blood cell by the role of red cells as oxygen carriers. Red blood cell (RBC) with insufficient G6PD cannot maintain reduced glutathione and vulnerable to oxidative damage that resulting in an acute hemolysis. G6PD deficiency is the most common human enzyme defect and has no specific treatment. More than 400 million people worldwide are reported to have G6PD deficiency and the most common medical problem associated with G6PD deficiency is hemolytic anemia triggered by various causes; drug, food, or infection. But the response to those food or drugs is variable for individuals and difficult to predict. Therefore, individuals with G6PD deficiency should avoid potentially harmful substances and foods; primaquine, effective and popular drug for malaria, and fava beans are well-known examples.
According to WHO report, with about 130 million births annually, about 4.5 million G6PD deficient children are particularly vulnerable to neonatal jaundice and acute haemolytic crises are born every year. About 7.5% of the world population carry on G6PD deficiency and 2.9% of the world population are genetically G6PD deficient. Therefore, preliminarily screening G6PD deficiency is very important in the regions where G6PD deficiency is prevalent.