Stigma


 * 1) visible evidence of a disease
 * 2) Syn follicular stigma
 * 3) any spot or blemish on the skin
 * 4) a bleeding spot on the skin, which is considered a manifestation of conversion hysteria
 * 5) the orange pigmented eyespot of certain chlorophyll-bearing protozoa, such as Euglena viridis, which serves as a light filter by absorbing certain wavelengths
 * 6) a mark of shame or discredit, linked to the term stigmatisation

Relevance to the Hemoglobinopathies
In many countries, particularly those without efficient screening programs and adequate patient care, carriers for one of the major hemoglobinopathies are considered to carry a social stigma. Individuals, but most of all women, diagnosed as carriers in those societies might find it hard to be accepted as a partner by a prospective spouse's family, out of fear that future offspring might be affected.