Objective: Mutation 35delG in the connexin 26 gene is the main cause of recessive deafness in Europe. The prevalence of carriers varies, with a mean value proportion of 1/30 in Mediterranean countries. The aim of this study is to determinate the percentage of carriers in several regions of the Mediterranean coast in France.
Methods: This study has been carried out on the genomic DNAs out of a total of 1584 healthy subjects, originating from five French towns or regions, genotyped by Taqman assays.
Results: the approximate carrier proportions of the 35delG mutation are 1/50 in Perpignan, 1/65 in Montpellier, 1/66 in Toulon, 1/53 in Grasse. This carrier proportion is 1/31 for the region of Marseilles, a value near the maximal value already obtained in France for Corsica.