ABOUT THE DISEASE

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.

Normal individuals, without genetic alteration, are born with type AA hemoglobin. Some individuals, however, who have the genetic defect, have type AS hemoglobin. These people are classified as Sickle Cell Trait.

In this situation, we do not have a sick individual, only a disease gene carrier. There will be no clinical signs or symptoms related to it. The result of the blood count will be normal, without anemia.

Some will complain of sporadically experiencing mild body aches, which can occur during long air travel, from deoxygenation.

It is important to report that when a Trait individual joins a normal individual, that couple has only a 25% chance, in each pregnancy, of producing a TRACE (AS type) and NEVER sick (SS) child.

For an individual to be born with the disease, both parents must be carriers of the trait. In the union between two people who have the sickle cell trait, there is a 25% chance, in each pregnancy, of having a sick child.

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.