Favism In Survival Of The Sickest

In the novel Survival of the Sickest, the author, Dr. Sharon Moalem researches the diseases of today in order to show that they are not accidental. Most genes or traits are passed down because they are needed to survive. This poses the question, why do diseases get passed down as well? These diseases are passed down from generation to generation in order to help keep the body safe from other threats. Some examples of “helpful” diseases are hemochromatosis, diabetes and favism. Though, like all diseases, they can be harmful. However, in the long run it’s possible that they can save someone’s life.
Typically the human body is able to tell when it has a sufficient amount of iron stored and stops taking it in; this is not what happens

It consists of an inherited enzyme deficiency. Some indications of favism include anemia and weakness. This disease is most commonly found in North Africa and Southern Europe, which is where fava beans are mostly farmed. To determine if someone has favism, they can take tests for anemia. It can be treated through blood transfusions which replenish the iron in the blood. This deficiency was first discovered in the 1950s during the Korean War. This period was the first time people realized that fava beans can lead to fatal reactions. Another disease, Malaria, which is caused by an invasion or red blood cells by infectious parasites, was frequently found in Korea. Due to the prevalence of malaria, soldiers were given antimalarial drugs including primaquine. This drug led to the development of anemia in many African American soldiers. Some soldiers also were diagnosed with hemolytic anemia, a disease which causes blood cells to explode. After the Korean war was over, many doctors noticed that the cause of the soldier’s reaction to the drugs was due to their lack of the glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, also known as G6PD. The consumption of fava beans exposes free radicals to the bloodstream. If anyone is lacking G6PD they are unable to dispose of the free radicals, which leads to the breaking down of blood cells and the cardiovascular system being affected.