A gene linked to a potentially fatal disease branded the “Celtic Curse” has been found in a group of 50 Scots, who may pave the way for a nationwide screening programme.
The new cases follow new analysis of a “Viking Genes” database, which holds information on about 10,000 people with at least two grandparents from Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles.
The database has now been deployed to identify people with the genes that cause haemochromatosis, a hereditary condition at least 4,000 years old that involves a damaging build-up of iron levels in the body.
The condition can cause a range of symptoms, from extreme tiredness to mood swings, brain fog, weakness, joint pain, balance problems and itchy skin.
While there is no cure, a relatively simple treatment — a procedure to reduce iron-rich red blood cells —…