ABOUT THE DISEASE
SILENT THREAT
A person can go their whole life without knowing they have the Trait, since the presence of the same has no clinical expression of sickle cell disease and its diagnosis can only be performed by a specialized test: hemoglobin electrophoresis, which is not routinely requested by the general practitioner, unless there is some evidence of anemia.
Therefore, it is important to carry out the neonatal screening test, the “Teste do PÉZINHO” (Foot test) which informs about the presence or absence of hemoglobin S in the body.
With the knowledge of the existence of the Trait, the person can “avoid”, if it is his will, to generate a sick child by joining another individual also with the sickle cell trait.
Silent Threat
A person can go their whole life without knowing they have the Trait, since the presence of the same has no clinical expression of sickle cell disease and its diagnosis can only be performed by a specialized test: hemoglobin electrophoresis, which is not routinely requested by the general practitioner, unless there is some evidence of anemia.
What is it?
The Sickle Cell Disease gene causes changes in hemoglobin, a pigment found in red blood cells that is responsible for oxygenating the blood and all the tissues of the body.
Signs and Symptoms
Do I have sickle cell disease? As the pathology is little known, it is important to know what symptoms it causes.
Trait or Disease?
Since sickle cell disease is genetic and therefore hereditary, it will have been passed on by a combination of the genes of the father and mother.
