| high frequency of triplicated alpha-globin loci and absence or low frequency of alpha thalassemia in polynesian samoans. | most of the population in certain areas of melanesia have one alpha-globin gene deletion (alpha thal2). it is thought that the high frequencies of alpha thal2 in this population is due to a selective advantage given by malaria infection to carriers of alpha thal2. we are interested in neighboring polynesia which, although adjacent to melanesia, has always been free of malaria due to the absence of the vector anopheles. we studied 60 polynesian samoans and 150 malaysians by restriction endonuclea ... | 1985 | 2989152 |