Transcript Sickle Cell Anemia *cool - OG

By: Austin Schulte & Brendan Logan P. 4
SICKLE-CELL ANEMIA
Background/History
 Discovered in 1910
 The disease is said to have originated in
Africa, but it was first discovered in United
States.
 Dr. Ernest Irons examined one of his patients
blood under a microscope and noticed that
they were in the shape of sickle.
Causes
 It is caused by Hemoglobin S
which is an abnormal type of
Hemoglobin.
 It causes the blood cells to be
misshaped.
 You have to inherit the gene
from both parents.
 If only one of your parents has
the gene you will inherit but
you will not show effects of the
disease.
Symptoms
 Fatigue
 Shortness of breath
 Rapid heart rate
 Abdominal pain attack
 Ulcers (in lower legs)
 Over time the spleen
fails
 Yellowing of eyes and
skin
Treatment
 The only way to fully cure the disease is a
bone marrow transplant or a blood
transfusion.
 Patients are advised to take penicillin to
prevent deadly diseases and folic acid which
creates new blood cells.
 People with the disease should drink plenty of
water, get lots of rest and avoid too much
physical activity.
Fun Facts
 Healthy blood cells can survive for up to 120
days, but sickle-cells can only live for 10 – 20
days.
 People who are heterozygous for sickle-cell
anemia have an unknown immunity to
malaria.
 About 1 out of every 500 African babies born
in the United States is born with sickle-cell
anemia.
Works Cited

Genetic Science Learning Center. "Sickle Cell Disease." Learn.Genetics 19
February 2013
http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/disorders/whataregd/sicklecell/

Board, A.D.A.M. Editorial. "Sickle Cell Anemia." Sickle Cell Anemia. U.S. National
Library of Medicine, 18 Nov. 0000. Web. 19 Feb. 2013.
<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001554/>.

"Malaria and the Red Cell." Malaria and the Sickle Hemoglobin Gene. Harvard, 2
Apr. 2002. Web. 19 Feb. 2013.
<http://sickle.bwh.harvard.edu/malaria_sickle.html>.

Staff, Mayo Clinic. "Definition." Mayo Clinic. Mayo Foundation for Medical
Education and Research, 26 Mar. 2011. Web. 19 Feb. 2013.
<http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/sickle-cellanemia/DS00324/DSECTION%3Dtreatments-and-drugs>.

Winter, William P. "A Brief History of Sickle Cell Disease." A Brief History of Sickle
Cell Disease. Howard, n.d. Web. 19 Feb. 2013.
<http://www.sicklecell.howard.edu/ABriefHistoryofSickleCellDisease.htm>.