Sickle Cell Disease

Sickle Cell Disease

Sickle cell disease is observed frequently in the African/Asian population as well as in the Mediterranean/ Middle Eastern population. Here, a common problem is a combination of sickle cell and beta thalassemia genes.

Sickle cell anemia is an autosomal recessive inherited disorder caused by a mutation in the hemoglobin gene. The presence of two defective genes from mother and father causes sickle cell disease. If each parent carries one sickle hemoglobin gene (S) and one normal gene (A), each child has a 25% chance of inheriting two defective genes and manifesting sickle cell disease; a 25% chance of inheriting two normal genes (healthy); and a 50% chance of being an unaffected, heterozygous carrier (as with the parents).