Everyone is at risk for being a carrier of a genetic disease. JScreen can help. Individuals with no Jewish ancestry, or both Jewish and non-Jewish ancestry, should also be screened with JScreen's panel of over 200 diseases. The truth is, everyone is a carrier for genetic alterations regardless of their ethnic background. It is a common misconception that individuals without Jewish ancestry are not at risk to be carriers for the genetic diseases found most commonly in the Jewish population. Although occurrences are less frequent outside of the Jewish population, the diseases are found in other ethnicities as well. In addition to the Jewish genetic diseases, there are many other genetic diseases that are commonly found in the general population.
What it means to be a genetic disease carrier: Why it's important to get tested for genetic disorders
As a carrier of a genetic disease, you are at risk to pass that disease on to your child even though you and your partner do not show symptoms. If you and your partner are both carriers for the SAME disease, each child has a 25% chance of being affected by the disease. There are many options for carrier couples to have a healthy child, especially if you discover your carrier status before pregnancy. Plan for your family’s healthy future: get screened today. Learn how.
Ethnicity and Genetic Disease: Genetic Disease Risk Assessment
My ethnicity is:
Everyone is at risk for being a carrier of a genetic disease:
Diseases | All populations | Ashkenazi Jewish | Northwestern Europe | Hispanic | African American | Eastern Asia | South Asia | Southern Europe | Middle East | South East Asia | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Gaucher disease | 1 in 78 | 1 in 16 | 1 in 110 | 1 in 191 | 1 in 170 | 1 in 113 | 1 in 679 | 1 in 83 | 1 in 324 | 1 in 112 |
2 | Cystic Fibrosis | 1 in 30 | 1 in 27 | 1 in 26 | 1 in 45 | 1 in 92 | 1 in 224 | 1 in 52 | 1 in 31 | 1 in 70 | 1 in 17 |
3 | Tay-Sachs disease | 1 in 171 | 1 in 30 | 1 in 290 | 1 in 563 | 1 in 1973 | 1 in 300 | 1 in 300 | 1 in 246 | 1 in 394 | 1 in 300 |
4 | Familial Dysautonomia | 1 in 325 | 1 in 31 | 1 in 750 | 1 in 500 | 1 in 500 | 1 in 500 | 1 in 500 | 1 in 500 | 1 in 974 | 1 in 500 |
5 | Spinal Muscular Atrophy | 1 in 55 | 1 in 41 | 1 in 48 | 1 in 66 | 1 in 100 | 1 in 72 | 1 in 70 | 1 in 41 | 1 in 59 | 1 in 142 |
6 | Canavan disease | 1 in 342 | 1 in 55 | 1 in 477 | 1 in 1415 | 1 in 2591 | 1 in 500 | 1 in 500 | 1 in 500 | 1 in 500 | 1 in 500 |
7 | ABCC8 hyperinsulinism | 1 in 678 | 1 in 68 | 1 in 112 | 1 in 112 | 1 in 112 | 1 in 112 | 1 in 112 | 1 in 112 | 1 in 112 | 1 in 112 |
8 | Glycogen Storage disease Type 1a | 1 in 318 | 1 in 71 | 1 in 374 | 1 in 623 | 1 in 177 | 1 in 1819 | 1 in 177 | 1 in 319 | 1 in 862 | 1 in 177 |
9 | Fanconi Anemia | 1 in 568 | 1 in 90 | 1 in 723 | 1 in 158 | 1 in 158 | 1 in 158 | 1 in 158 | 1 in 158 | 1 in 158 | 1 in 158 |
10 | Joubert syndrome | 1 in 732 | 1 in 92 | 1 in 500 | 1 in 500 | 1 in 500 | 1 in 500 | 1 in 500 | 1 in 500 | 1 in 500 | 1 in 500 |
11 | Lipoamide Dehydrogenase deficiency | 1 in 500 | 1 in 94 | 1 in 500 | 1 in 500 | 1 in 500 | 1 in 500 | 1 in 500 | 1 in 500 | 1 in 431 | 1 in 500 |
12 | Maple Syrup Urine disease | 1 in 518 | 1 in 97 | 1 in 635 | 1 in 250 | 1 in 250 | 1 in 250 | 1 in 250 | 1 in 250 | 1 in 862 | 1 in 250 |
13 | Niemann Pick disease | 1 in 658 | 1 in 100 | 1 in 250 | 1 in 842 | 1 in 1272 | 1 in 250 | 1 in 2036 | 1 in 250 | 1 in 250 | 1 in 250 |
14 | Usher syndrome Type 1 | 1 in 194 | 1 in 100 | 1 in 194 | 1 in 194 | 1 in 194 | 1 in 194 | 1 in 194 | 1 in 194 | 1 in 194 | 1 in 194 |
15 | Mucolipodosis IV | 1 in 668 | 1 in 100 | 1 in 500 | 1 in 500 | 1 in 500 | 1 in 500 | 1 in 500 | 1 in 500 | 1 in 500 | 1 in 500 |
16 | Nemaline Myopathy | 1 in 500 | 1 in 108 | 1 in 500 | 1 in 500 | 1 in 500 | 1 in 500 | 1 in 500 | 1 in 500 | 1 in 500 | 1 in 500 |
17 | Bloom syndrome | 1 in 500 | 1 in 110 | 1 in 500 | 1 in 2103 | 1 in 2544 | 1 in 500 | 1 in 500 | 1 in 500 | 1 in 500 | 1 in 500 |
18 | Usher syndrome Type 3 | 1 in 681 | 1 in 120 | 1 in 500 | 1 in 500 | 1 in 500 | 1 in 500 | 1 in 500 | 1 in 500 | 1 in 500 | 1 in 500 |
19 | Walker-Warburg syndrome | 1 in 500 | 1 in 150 | 1 in 500 | 1 in 500 | 1 in 500 | 1 in 500 | 1 in 500 | 1 in 500 | 1 in 500 | 1 in 500 |
Never heard of these? You’re not alone. These diseases may be individually rare, but collectively the risk is significant. Click here to view more information on some diseases that are commonly found in the Jewish population.