How to use the carrier frequency from disease incidence calculator
Estimate carrier frequency from the incidence of a recessive disorder. Enter disease incidence (1 in n) in the field above; the q (recessive allele), p, carrier frequency 2pq, carriers (1 in n) are computed instantly and plotted on the chart so you can see how the answer changes.
Formula
Variables
- inc — Disease incidence (1 in N)
Worked example
With disease incidence (1 in n) = 2500, the calculator gives q (recessive allele) ≈ 0.02; p ≈ 0.98; carrier frequency 2pq ≈ 0.0392; carriers (1 in n) ≈ 25.5102.
Frequently asked questions
What is the formula for the carrier frequency from disease incidence calculation?
q (recessive allele) = √(1 / inc). p = 1-[q (recessive allele)]. Carrier frequency 2pq = 2 × [q (recessive allele)] × [p]. Carriers (1 in N) = 1 / [Carrier frequency 2pq]. Here inc is disease incidence (1 in n).
What inputs do I need for the carrier frequency from disease incidence calculator?
You need disease incidence (1 in n). Each field is pre-filled with a typical example so you can see how the result responds as you edit the numbers.
How do I use this calculator?
Type values into the input fields. Results and the chart update instantly. Use Reset to restore the example values, Copy results to paste them elsewhere, or Share to copy a link that preserves your inputs.
Is the result exact?
Calculations use standard formulas and double-precision arithmetic, then display about seven significant figures. Real-world measurements carry uncertainty, so treat results as estimates unless your inputs are exact.