Which type of anemia is characterized by basophilic stippling?

Basophilic stippling is primarily associated with lead poisoning, leading to a specific type of anemia known as lead anemia. In this condition, the presence of basophilic stippling in red blood cells signifies the impact of lead on erythropoiesis, where lead inhibits certain enzymes involved in hemoglobin synthesis. This interference results in the accumulation of RNA and precipitated ribosomes within red blood cells, creating the stippled appearance when stained for microscopic examination.

In contrast, while iron deficiency, vitamin B12 deficiency, and folate deficiency anemias present with their own distinctive morphological changes in red blood cells and clinical features, they do not typically demonstrate basophilic stippling. Iron deficiency anemia often results in microcytic and hypochromic red blood cells, while vitamin B12 and folate deficiencies may lead to macrocytic anemia characterized by larger red blood cells and possibly hypersegmented neutrophils but lack the stippling seen in lead-related cases. Thus, the identification of basophilic stippling serves as a key indicator of lead toxicity, solidifying lead poisoning as the correct association with this specific finding in anemia.