Sickle Cell Disease is a collection of inherited disorders in which the red blood cells lack hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is an essential protein to the body that assists in the color of the blood cells, as well as allowing oxygen to be carried all over the body (What is Sickle Cell Disease 2016). Sickle Cell Disease first arose in West Africa, affecting hundreds of people. The disease was thought to only affect the people of that area, but it quickly became a widespread disease. Ten to thirty percent of people in North and South Africa carry the trait for sickle cell disease (Serjeant 1997). Sickle Cell Disease can also be inherited when hemoglobin genes from both parents are present. One hemoglobin gene can force hemoglobin S to be made in a person’s
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According to Dacie, Sickle Cell Anemia is a disease of childhood. Adults can also have sickle cell anemia, but it is more common in children. Most children are affected by sickle cell anemia because they inherit it from their parents (Platt 1994). Sickle Cell Anemia is an inherited recessive disease. If both of the child’s parent carries the trait for sickle cell anemia, then the child is affected. If someone obtains the heterozygous traits, then they become a carrier of sickle cell anemia (Serjeant 1997). Sickle cell anemia can also affect people of a certain ethnic background. Most people who have sickle cell anemia have an ethnic background of Sub-Saharan African. People with other backgrounds such as South America or India can also be at risk for sickle cell anemia (Serjeant 1997). According to scientist, the people of West Africa were the first people to be seen as having sickle cell disease. Apparently, the disease came from two specific places in Africa. One of the mutations of sickle cell anemia began in West Africa, then it spread through Africa and into the Mediterranean (Serjeant 1997). Scientists have also thought that the sickle cell trait was passed around to protect people in Africa from malaria. Malaria is a deadly disease that is caused by mosquitos. Since sickle cell anemia causes people to be immune to malaria, scientist think this is why it was possibly passed around. Sickle cell anemia is now a worldwide disease. It can be found in Italy, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey (Cooke
According to Dacie, Sickle Cell Anemia is a disease of childhood. Adults can also have sickle cell anemia, but it is more common in children. Most children are affected by sickle cell anemia because they inherit it from their parents (Platt 1994). Sickle Cell Anemia is an inherited recessive disease. If both of the child’s parent carries the trait for sickle cell anemia, then the child is affected. If someone obtains the heterozygous traits, then they become a carrier of sickle cell anemia (Serjeant 1997). Sickle cell anemia can also affect people of a certain ethnic background. Most people who have sickle cell anemia have an ethnic background of Sub-Saharan African. People with other backgrounds such as South America or India can also be at risk for sickle cell anemia (Serjeant 1997). According to scientist, the people of West Africa were the first people to be seen as having sickle cell disease. Apparently, the disease came from two specific places in Africa. One of the mutations of sickle cell anemia began in West Africa, then it spread through Africa and into the Mediterranean (Serjeant 1997). Scientists have also thought that the sickle cell trait was passed around to protect people in Africa from malaria. Malaria is a deadly disease that is caused by mosquitos. Since sickle cell anemia causes people to be immune to malaria, scientist think this is why it was possibly passed around. Sickle cell anemia is now a worldwide disease. It can be found in Italy, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey (Cooke