It is characterized by small round lesions of granulation tissue. The ones I have seen are about the size of a quarter and flat. Symptoms may vary with the severity of the disease. Fever, weight loss, joint pain, with liver involvement and enlarged lymph nodes are common. Cough and difficulty in breathing may occur.
Skin disease marked by tender red nodules with fever and joint pain is a frequent manifestation.
Onset is usually between 20 and 40 years. There is not just one disease called Thalassemia, but several of them. All are chronic, inherited forms of anemia that affect an estimated 6 percent of the world's population. These illnesses are among the most common inherited illnesses and are particularly common in people of Mediterranean, African, Southeast Asian and Chinese ancestry. Patients with Thalassemia don't produce enough red blood cells and cannot properly utilize iron.