Postnatal screening
Newborn babies are regularly checked for health conditions during the first two months of life. There are a range of tests that are commonly employed.
Phenylketonuria (PKU)
PKU is an autosomal recessive inherited metabolic condition. This means that sufferers require two Alternative form of a gene that is expressed only if a dominant allele of that gene is not present. An organism must have two copies of a recessive allele for that allele to be expressed. to be affected.
It occurs as a result of a substitution mutation. This results in the enzyme needed to convert phenylalanine into tyrosine being non-functional.
PKU is commonly tested for in new-born babies using the 'heel prick test'. This is where a sample of blood is drawn from the newborn from a pin prick in the heel.
PKU can be treated following a low phenylalanine diet - a diet that avoids high protein foods such as eggs, meat and dairy.