Hemochromatosis occurs mainly in people of British, Irish and French descent. Within this population, about 1 in 250 people suffer from the disease. The disease causes the body to store too much iron. This darkens the skin and causes symptoms such as fatigue, arthritis and chronic infections. Left untreated, it can lead to liver cirrhosis, heart failure, diabetes, even cancer.
Specialists say doctors often fail to diagnose hemochromatosis in time.
The only way to treat the disease is by blood-letting. A half-litre of blood is removed each week from the patient, until the iron levels return to normal. Doctors say it's the only way to get rid of excess iron. Doctors at the Centre want to diagnose hemochromatosis as early as possible. They hope to use a new genetic test to screen people.