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Ground-breaking study: Professor Jim Wilson & fellow researchers have mapped the genetic risk for haemochromatosis across the UK and Ireland

New research funded by Haemochromatosis UK and led by Professor Jim Wilson at University of Edinburgh has mapped genetic hotspots for haemochromatosis across the UK and Ireland. Analysing data from over 10,000 volunteers and large population cohorts, the study found the highest genetic risk in north-west Ireland and the Outer Hebrides.

Map of the landscape of hereditary haemochromatosis risk across the UK and Ireland. Areas with a higher frequency of the disease-causing C282Y genetic variant are indicated in green. Hatching is used to represent two communities in Northern Ireland, each with different risks

The findings highlight hot spots with the highest likelihood of developing the condition:

• North-west Ireland: 1 in 54 people carry the genetic variant

• Outer Hebrides: 1 in 62

• Northern Ireland: 1 in 71

• Mainland Scotland (Glasgow & south-west): 1 in 117

The high combined genetic risk across these locations suggests that focusing genetic screening at these key areas would discover the largest number of people with the condition, researchers say.

Read the article in Nature here

Professor Jim Wilson L, with Jonathan Jelley, MBE JP and Interim CEO of
Haemochromatosis UK

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