What is the blood disease known for its high incidence in France and
many attribute to high consumption of wine?  Symptoms include high red
blood cell count.

Aridavid:

The condition you seek is known as Porphria.

According to the National Insitute of Diabetic & Digestive & Kidney
Diseases
( http://www.niddk.nih.gov/health/digest/summary/porphria/porphria.htm)
Porphyria is "is a disorder in which the body produces too much of the
chemical porphyrin." Porphyrin is necessary to the production of heme,
the oxygen carrying blood molecule.

Porphyria is an inherited (genetic) enzymatic deficiency.  There is
also a related disorder called Porphyria cutanea tarda (PCT) that is
not necessarily inherited. Attacks of both disorders can be triggered
by triggered by drugs/chemicals, certain foods, and exposure to the
sun.  According to the the University of Cape Town, South Africa,
( http://www.uct.ac.za/depts/liver/porphyria%20notes/notes%20management%20of%20porphyria%20cutanea%20tarda.htm
)
PCT has been known to be triggered by high alcohol exposure.

The list of tests necessary to diagnose Porphyria includes a full
blood count.

The French monarchy had a string of insane and/or feeble rulers in the
middle-ages, the most famous of which is Charles VI.  Many scholars
believe that this family tradition of madness was due to Poryphyria.


hope this is sufficient,

actualwolf





Search Strategy

"blood disease" +wine +france
Porphyria +wine +"blood count"
Porphyria +france


Sites Used

National Insitute of Diabetic & Digestive & Kidney Diseases
http://www.niddk.nih.gov/index.htm

University of Cape Town, South Africa
http://www.uct.ac.za/

Biography of Charles VI, the Mad of France
http://www.xs4all.nl/~kvenjb/madmonarchs/charles6/charles6_bio.htm


Useful Links

The American Porphyria Foundation
http://www.porphyriafoundation.com/

Yahoo! Groups: Porphyria
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/porphyria/

---

Request for Answer Clarification by aridavid-ga on 01 Oct 2002 20:42 PDT

I have not received an answer!  I do not understand what the name of
the disease is?  Could you please give me the name of the disease
which is common in France which is a blood disease and the blood has
too many red blood cells what is the name of that disease.

---

Clarification of Answer by actualwolf-ga on 02 Oct 2002 07:10 PDT

Aridavid:


In reviewing my answer I noticed that my spelling of the disease name
was inconsistent.  I am sorry if this confused you.

The disease called is PORPHYRIA.  

There are several types of PORPHYRIA, but they all are considered
secondary iron  overload disorders.  They cause the body to produce
too much iron.  The hemoglobin in red blood cells contains the bloods
iron, therefore a high red blood cell count is indicative of iron
overload.

PORPHYRIA causes the body to produce too much of the chemical
porphyrin.  Porphyrin is necessary to the production of the chemical
heme.  Heme is part of hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that
carries iron.  Too much porphyrin means too much heme, which means too
much hemoglobin, which means too iron.

Symptoms of PORPHYRIA include a high red blood cell count.  

I hope this clears up any confusion, if not please feel free to
request clarification.


-actualwolf.


Search Strategy

porphyria +"red blood cell"


Links

On the Function of Red Blood Cells
http://sln.fi.edu/biosci/blood/red.html

On Iron Disorders
http://www.irondisorders.org/disorders/

On Hemoglobin and Heme
http://wunmr.wustl.edu/EduDev/LabTutorials/hemoglobin.htm