Familial variant testing is a genetic test performed on family members to determine whether they carry a specific genetic mutation (variant) that was previously identified in a relative. This type of test is primarily used when a hereditary genetic condition has been diagnosed in a relative, and there is concern that other family members may also be carriers or develop the same condition.
Overview
It is estimated that approximately 70,000 people worldwide are affected by a mutation in the CFTR gene, which causes Cystic Fibrosis.
1 in every 27 Ashkenazi Jews is a carrier of the Tay-Sachs mutation, which is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder caused by the absence of an enzyme necessary for breaking down fatty substances in the brain.