Comparing Africa To Sickle Cell Disease

believed that genetically aberrant hemoglobin evolved as a protection against malaria."(2) It has also been said that, "People with a single copy of a particular genetic mutation [sickle cell trait] have a survival advantage. One copy of the mutation confers a benefit." (3) Its quite interesting to find that original purpose of this gene was

Sickle Cell Disease is an autosomal recessive genetic disease that occurs due to a mutation in the β-globin gene of hemoglobin. Autosomal meaning that it is not linked to a sex chromosome, so either parent can pass on the gene to their child. This mutation is a result of a single substitution of amino acids, Glutamic for Valine at position 6 of a β globin chain. The presence of this mutation causes

It has always been assumed that genetics and lifestyle play a major role in the presence of health disparities and health care issue that affects African-Americans. This paper provides a historical background to a key disease more prevalent in the African American community, Sickle Cell Anemia, the history behind the disease, genetic mechanisms that influences once probability of inheritance and in-depth treatment on how to manage, prevent and sustain a healthy lifestyle when dealing with sickle cell anemia. Sickle cell anemia is a hereditary disease that alters important aspects of the body physiologically and can be inherited via genes. Sickle cell disease (SCD) was first identified in 1910 and has existed in the continent of Africa for five

In this article, sickle cell anemia is defined as a hereditary disease that destroys red blood cells by causing them take on an elongated and rigid "sickle" shape. In addition, a different type of hemoglobin called Hemoglobin S, is the protein in red blood cells that carry oxygen throughout the body. This protein starts to wrap around other red blood cells when oxygen is lacking to form a helical shape. Once this happens the cells cluster together and elongate and the cells start to "sickle". A person who has sickle cell anemia can only get it if both of their parents carry the sickle cell trait, if only one parent has the trait then there children are at risk for having the trait.

The sickle cell disease affects about 100,000 people in the America. The most common ethnic group the sickle cell anemia is seen in is African Americans and Hispanics. Approximately one in every ten African American and one in every one hundred Hispanic Americans have the sickle cell trait. Approximately two million people have the sickle cell trait in America. Approximately one in five- hundred African Americans and one in one thousand to one thousand and four hundred Hispanic-Americans have sickle cell disease. No universal cure has been found for sickle cell anemia (“Facts About Sickle Cell Trait And Disease,”n.d.). Sickle cell anemia affects many Americans and a universal cure needs to be found.

The Sickle Cell gene needs to be inhered from both of the parents; otherwise the individual will only carry the Sickle Cell trait. If the sickle cell trait is carried by an individual they can be asymptomatic. This individual can, however, transfer the gene abnormality to any offspring that they have. Sickle Cell Anemia is the most common form of sickle cell disease. It is also the most severe form of the disease. One variation of sickle cell anemia is hemoglobin SC disease and is one of the more common variations. Many times it manifests with a lesser degree of hemolytic anemia (1).

Sickle cell anemia affects a wide range of demographics, from young to old. However, there are specific groups of people who are likely more prone to this disease than any other group. This disease affects millions of people worldwide regardless of age, but it is particularly common amongst those who derive from specific regions of the world. Sickle cell anemia is most common in those whose ancestors are derived from the sub-Saharan region of Africa. Furthermore, other regions that are known to have a high number of people containing sickle cell anemia are from Mediterranean countries, the Arabian Peninsula, and Spanish-speaking regions as well ("Who Is at Risk for Sickle Cell Anemia?"). This disease originated from the sub-Saharan region of Africa, and later migrated to other areas through the spreading of other diseases such as malaria. This is due to the fact that sickle cell disease occurs habitually in areas that are prone to diseases such as malaria. Although this disease can affect anyone, the highest cases of sickle cell anemia were found in African-Americans than in any other race. In the United States, sickle cell disease affects about 70,000 to 100,000 Americans ("Who Is at Risk for Sickle Cell Anemia?"). The statistics show that 1 out of every 500 births is affected by sickle cell disease for African-Americans. For the Hispanics, 1 out of every 36,000 births is prone to sickle cell disease ("Who Is at Risk for Sickle Cell Anemia?"). The age ranges for which a

Sickle cell disease is categorized as an autosomal recessive disease. That means in order for one to inherit the disease, they must inherit two recessive alleles for sickle cell disease, or hemoglobin S gene. Having only one recessive allele makes you a carrier. The disorder causes the affected person’s red blood cells to disfigure into a crescent or sickle, which differs from the normal red blood cells that shaped into a doughnut. Sometimes, cells in a sickle shape cannot get through the narrow passageways of the blood vessels as easily as normal red blood cells. This blocks blood from entering and oxygen can’t reach the affected person’s organs. It can also crystallize and block arteries and

The probability of inheriting a disease is not random. There are several factors that determine the chances on inheriting a disease such as race, gender, genetics, etc. A person of Caucasian decent is more likely to develop cystic fibrosis, an Asian person has a higher chance of inheriting Kawasaki disease and there is a very high rate of Sickle Cell Anemia among people of African lineage. Sickle Cell disease is inherited and it affects the anatomy of the red blood cells, resulting in a sickle shape which then affects the functions of red blood cells causing a blood disorder. Sickle Cell is a recessive disease and persons affected have both copies of the hemoglobin S gene. This genetic defect causes red blood cells to become sickle-shaped (cresent shape). The abnormal shape severely impede the ability of red blood cells to pass through small blood vessels. This impediment caused by the sickle-shaped red blood cells decreases the flow of blood to parts of the body. This reduced blood flow to tissues causes hypoxia and subsequently leads to tissue damage. This alteration in the function of red blood cells is what leads to the complications of sickle cell disease. There are various types of sickle cell disease. The most common types of sickle cell disease are Sickle Cell Anemia (SS), Sickle-Hemoglobin C Disease (SC), Sickle Beta-Plus Thalassemia and Sickle Beta-Zero Thalassemia. Often conflated with sickle cell disease is "Sickle Cell Trait". Sickle cell trait means that a

(NHLBI, 2015) There are a few scenarios of the passing of the disease or trait from the parent to the offspring. If one parent has the gene it can be passed to the child, causing the child to be a carrier of the trait. In other words, the child will be able to produce normal hemoglobin as well as the sickle shaped hemoglobin. They will also be able to pass it to their offspring. If both parents carry the trait the child has a 50 percent chance of being a carrier, percent chance of not getting the gene at all, and 25 percent chance of having sickle cell anemia.

Sickle cell disease is much more common in people of African and Mediterranean descent. It is also seen in people from South and Central America, the Caribbean, and the Middle East. Sickle cell

Sickle Cell Disease is a genetic disease. If you have the disease, you have a lower life expectancy while you are also given a tremendous amount of pain to endure. The disease is inherited and it also causes a mutated hemoglobin. When you have this disease, instead of your red blood cells being circular like a moon it is much smaller like the shape of a crescent moon. Our red blood cells

As mentioned earlier, SCD is Autosomal recessive, which means both copies of the sickle gene are inherited from the parents (Sickle Cell Disease). Those more likely to present with Sickle Cell Disease are of African, Mediterranean, and Caribbean origin (Sickle Cell Disease). Genes that SCD can carry in hemoglobin are as follows: Hemoglobin SS(hgbSS), Hemoglobin SC (hgbSC), Hemoglobin Sβ° thalassemia, hemoglobin Sβ°+ Thalassemia, Hemoglobin SD(hgbSD) and Hemoglobin SE(hgbSD) (What is Sickle Cell Disease?). Below is a case study about the Orca Family that shows family generations of SCD and the Sickle Cell

Thousands of years ago, a genetic mutation occurred in people from the Mediterranean basin, India, Africa, and the Middle East. As the Malaria Epidemic attacked people of these countries, carriers of the defective hemoglobin gene survived. Carrying one defective gene means that a person has a sickle cell trait. Two parents with the trait will produce a child with sickle cell anemia. People of these countries migrated and spread to other areas. In the Western Hemisphere, where malaria is not much of a problem, having the abnormal hemoglobin gene has lost its advantage. Any child born from parents that each has the trait will be born with the disease.

Sickle-cell disease majorly affects the hemoglobin that is present in our blood. The job of hemoglobin is to help transport oxygen and carbon dioxide to and from the cells throughout our body. Hemoglobin is present specifically in our red blood cells. Each red blood cell contains two hundred and eighty million hemoglobin molecules. Red blood cells normal shape is a biconcave shape because of the lack of many organelles and a nucleus. The shape is so important to a red blood cells functioning that if it is not shaped normally it has major consequences. The shape helps them to fit through capillaries easier and also allows for an increased surface area which results in easier gas exchange. Sickle-cell disease is a genetic disease that causes issues in the oxygen/carbon dioxide carrying hemoglobin molecules that are present in our red blood cells.