Essay On Sickle Cell Anemia
Sickle cell anemia
Sickle cell anemia is a disease found right here in America, but in low levels compare to most of the world. The rate for disease is around five times greater in certain places in Africa. Sickle-Cell Anemia is often referred to as the “Negro-Inherited” disease, but that is incorrect. Although African Americans have a high occurrence of Sickle-Cell Anemia (1 in 400 African Americans), many other nationalities suffer from the disease. Sickle-Cell Anemia affects 8 out of 100,000 people worldwide this is because the potentially fatal disease sickle cell anemia can also work as a sort of vaccination for another disease called malaria. Sickle cell anemia is an inherited chronic disease of the blood. In order for this disease …show more content…
In the United States, this blood test is part of routine newborn screening done at the hospital. However, older children and adults can be tested, too. In adults, a blood sample is taken from a vein in the arm. In young children and babies, the blood sample is usually taken from a finger or heel. The sample is then sent to a laboratory, where it is screened for hemoglobin S. If the screening test is negative, there is no sickle cell gene present. If the screening test is positive, further tests will be done to determine whether one or two sickle cell genes are present. People who have one gene sickle cell trait have a small percentage of hemoglobin S. People with two genes sickle cell disease have a much larger percentage of the defective hemoglobin. Sickle cell anemia can be diagnosed in an unborn baby by sampling some of the fluid surrounding the baby in the mother's womb (amniotic fluid) to look for the sickle cell gene. If you or your partner has been diagnosed with sickle cell anemia or sickle cell trait, ask your doctor about whether you should consider this screening. Ask for a referral to a genetic counselor that can help you understand the risk to your
Sickle cell anemia is a disease found right here in America, but in low levels compare to most of the world. The rate for disease is around five times greater in certain places in Africa. Sickle-Cell Anemia is often referred to as the “Negro-Inherited” disease, but that is incorrect. Although African Americans have a high occurrence of Sickle-Cell Anemia (1 in 400 African Americans), many other nationalities suffer from the disease. Sickle-Cell Anemia affects 8 out of 100,000 people worldwide this is because the potentially fatal disease sickle cell anemia can also work as a sort of vaccination for another disease called malaria. Sickle cell anemia is an inherited chronic disease of the blood. In order for this disease …show more content…
In the United States, this blood test is part of routine newborn screening done at the hospital. However, older children and adults can be tested, too. In adults, a blood sample is taken from a vein in the arm. In young children and babies, the blood sample is usually taken from a finger or heel. The sample is then sent to a laboratory, where it is screened for hemoglobin S. If the screening test is negative, there is no sickle cell gene present. If the screening test is positive, further tests will be done to determine whether one or two sickle cell genes are present. People who have one gene sickle cell trait have a small percentage of hemoglobin S. People with two genes sickle cell disease have a much larger percentage of the defective hemoglobin. Sickle cell anemia can be diagnosed in an unborn baby by sampling some of the fluid surrounding the baby in the mother's womb (amniotic fluid) to look for the sickle cell gene. If you or your partner has been diagnosed with sickle cell anemia or sickle cell trait, ask your doctor about whether you should consider this screening. Ask for a referral to a genetic counselor that can help you understand the risk to your