The Sickle Of Sickle Cell Disease

Now that the disease is more clearly defined, we must ask, why did this illness come about? This is one of the most interesting facts about Sickle Cell. Since the trait originated in countries that were ravaged by malaria, it could be said that this trait evolved to fight the deadly mosquito-spread disease. "People with sickle trait were more likely to survive malaria outbreaks in Africa than those with normal hemoglobin, it is

Sickle cell disease is a disease that is most prevalent in people of African descent along with people of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern origin. This disease is known to affect about 70, 000 Americans and about 2 million people carry the trait (meaning that, they carry a single gene mutation).

This occurs when the red blood cells of a person with the disease has an abnormal form of hemoglobin called Hb-S. Instead of the biconcave disk shape, the red blood cells are long, stiff, rod-like structures, making it easier for the cell to rupture. The cells also have difficulty moving through blood vessels and can cause clots (Tortora and Derrickson, 2014). As of now, the only cure for sickle-cell anemia is a bone marrow or stem cell transplant, though there are various treatments that can ease the symptoms and prolong life (CDC, Jan 2016). Sickle-cell anemia is very dangerous to have as the patient would experience blood loss and require blood transfusions, and they would also be exposed to infection (CDC, June 2016). The disease is inherited and is most commonly found in populations with ancestors from sub-Saharan Africa, Spanish-speaking regions, Saudi Arabia, India, and Mediterranean countries. In the United States, about 1 in 365 African-American births have sickle-cell disease (CDC, Feb 2016). In areas where malaria is prevalent, there is selective pressure for sickle cell trait (individuals who have one sickle cell gene and one normal gene, also called carriers). It is accepted that there are multiple mechanisms for how the sickle cell gene can block malarial infection (Gong et al., 2013; Bunn, 2013). A mechanism described in early studies proposed a model where P. falciparum is unable to grow and develop due to the oxidative stress placed on the red blood cell. In a sickle cell trait red blood cell, the cell would become sickled due to oxygen consumption from the parasite (Bunn, 2013). Other mechanisms include impairment of adhesion, and inhibition of transcription by host microRNAs (Bunn,

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 conclusion, sickle cell anemia and the sickle cell trait are more common in African-Americans and people who live in places where malaria is common. Individuals with the trait seem to live normal and healthy lives, however individuals who have the trait and experience high altitudes or vigorous exercise tend to feel unwell because of the lack of oxygen getting into the cells causing them to sickle. In addition, the sickling of the cells can be reversible to a certain extent in people with the trait, however people who have sickle cell anemia the sickling of the cells is irreversible due to the severity of the disease.

Sickle cell disease (SCD) occurs in 1 out of every 365 African American births compared to 1 out of 16,000 Hispanic-American births (1). SCD is a group of red blood cell disorders in which patients have a sickle or moon-shaped red blood cell due to an abnormal S hemoglobin. While sickle cell disease is relatively rare in American births, this is an alarming statistic among people of Sub-Saharan (west and central) African descent. An interesting fact is that SCD occurs more often among people from parts of the world where malaria is or was common, such as Sub-Saharan Africa (1). In addition, it is believed that people who carry the sickle cell trait are less likely to have

As expressed in the book, in a specific geographical location in Kenya, where mosquitos were more present, more inhabitants contracted malaria. Because of this, the residents were more susceptible to sickle cell anemia, in comparison to others who didn’t have the sickle cell disease and avoided malaria. “It was also a fitness trade-off: carriers could pass on the sickle-cell allele, but they received immunity from malaria.” (Our Origins, Discovering Physical Anthropology)

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.

Approximately 100,000 people suffer from Sickle Cell Anemia everyday and about 2 million people have the Sickle Cell trait in the United States alone. Sickle cell disease is the most common inherited blood disorder in the United States, affecting 70,000 to 80,000 Americans (Pruthi 2018). The disease is estimated to occur in 1 in 500 African Americans and 1 in 1,000 to 1,400 Hispanic Americans (Pruthi 2018). Sickle cell anemia is an inherited form of anemia, a condition in which there aren't enough healthy red blood cells to carry adequate oxygen throughout your body normally, your red blood cells are flexible and round, moving easily through your blood vessels. In sickle cell anemia, the red blood cells become

Sickle Cell Disease is normally viewed as a “black” disease, yet the primary areas of geographic origin of the disease are the Mediterranean Basin and Central Africa, regions that are primarily “white”.

Sickle cell anemia is more common in sub-Saharan regions of Africa, where malaria is prevalent, than it is in regions where malaria is not common. This is because being heterozygous for sickle cell anemia in malaria-prone regions carries a fitness.

In conclusion, sickle cell disease and sickle cell trait have their advantages, but at the same time have many other downfalls that come along with having one of the two. People with sickle cell disease have hard lives, and have trouble doing everyday things like participating in a gym class, or doing any type of sports or physical activity. Although, people with only sickle cell trait, have the ease of not having to worry about malaria, but also run the risk of passing the disease to their children. Sickle cell disease is a serious problem worldwide, and it helps to be informed about

Scientist explained the difference between Sickle Cell Disease in Africa to Sickle Cell Disease in United States by showing how common this disease is in Africa than it is in the United States. Scientist believe that in Africa there is a fatal form of malaria that occurs in Africa. People who have homozygous for the normal allele for hemoglobin often die of malaria. But people who have sickle cell trait don’t come in contact with the fatal form of malaria. Then more heterozygous live then people with homozygous for the normal allele, and they pass it to their children and their children gets sickle cell disease. Sickle Cell disease is not that common in the United States because people with sickle cell disease often died in early childhood and thus, many people didn’t pass it on to their children. Instead most inheritance from the alleles is from a parent who is heterozygous for the allele to one or more of his children.

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 anemia is an autosomal recessive point mutation that is often attributed to populations in Africa and the Middle East. This is due to a the high occurrence of malaria in these regions, however, the rate at which both sickle cell anemia and malaria are occurring in other regions of the globe is becoming increasingly prevalent. Immigration during the past few decades has resulted in what is now being considered an epidemic. The resources available to treat those with these diseases in more developed nations are abundant in comparison to places in Africa and the Middle East, yet regardless of treatment options, those who have sickle cell anemia still suffer greatly. How a society manages this illness is based on resources, treatment options, and funding. In some areas, sickle cell is more widespread than in others and the impact on the society yields a greater threat. In order to better understand the disease, one must start at the foundations and work upwards, following its progression and migration throughout the world.