It has been hypothesized that a person who is heterozygous for the thalassemia gene is resistant to malaria caused by __________.

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Heterozygous individuals for the thalassemia gene have a reduced level of haemoglobin, which makes it more difficult for the malaria-causing Plasmodium falciparum to invade and survive inside the red blood cells. Thus, individuals heterozygous for thalassemia are more resistant to malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum than individuals with normal haemoglobin. Thalassemia does not provide significant protection against other types of malaria such as Plasmodium ovale, Plasmodium vivax, or Plasmodium malariae.

It Has Been Hypothesized That a Person Who Is Heterozygous