Sickle+Cell+Anemia

  Sickle Cell Anemia

By: CB, PB This picture shows two distinctively shaped sickle cells. [|http://cache.eb.com/eb/image?id=76520&rendTypeId=4

**Name ** Sickle Cell Anemia

Sickle Cell Anemia is a recessive disease. It affects the gene locus HBB, which is found in region 15.5 on the short arm of chromosome 11.
 * Type **

Sickle Cell Anemia causes the red blood cells to become sickle-shaped (c-shaped) as opposed to the normal, doughnut shaped red blood cells. These sickle-shaped cells are stiff, sticky, and tend to clump together, commonly clotting in the blood vessels. These clumps cause pain, possibly infections, and organ damage. Normal red blood cells last about four months in the bloodstream while sickle cell red blood cells only last about 10 to 20 days. This results in anemia, a condition where the body's red blood cell count drops below normal. People who are anemic often feel weak and tire easily.
 * Description and Symptoms **

**Diagnosis**

Doctors use a blood test called a hemoglobin electrophoresis that look for sickle cells in the blood. All newborns in 44 U.S. states, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia are tested for Sickle Cell Anemia using blood samples given for other routine newborn screenings. Sickle Cell Anemia screening tests can be requested for newborns in the six states in which it is not mandatory.

**Prognosis**

  The average life expectancy for males with sickle cell anemia in the United States is forty two years and the life expectancy for women in the United States is forty eight years. Because there are many factors determine the prognosis of a patient, there are different prognosises for each individual. But in general, most patients recieving proper medical care will learn to live normal lives.

**Treatment** While bone marrow transplants offer a potential cure for sickle cell anemia, there are very few suitable donors. Consequently, medicine such as hydroxia, supplemental oxygen, gene therapy, butyric acid, clotrimazole, and nitric acid are used to help people with sickle cell anemia deal with the pain, avoid crises, and prevent complications. There are also other alternative methods of treatment for sickle cell anemia. Relaxation techniques, application of warm compresses, and hydrating may increase a patient's comfort. Good nutrition, avoiding stress, and proper rest may also help prevent some other complications of the disorder.

In the United States, there are about 70,000 people with sickle cell anemia. In the United States, about 1,000 people are born with sickle cell anemia each year. One out of every 500 African Americans are born with sickle cell anemia and one out of every 1,200 Hispanics are born with sickle cell anemia. Roughly, about 2 million Americans have the sickle cell trait and 1 in every 12 African Americans carry the sickle cell trait.
 * Statistics **

95% of women in England are not screened for sickle cell anemia.
 * Other Information **

Sickle Cell Anemia is most common in Africa, the Mediterranean, India, and the Middle East as these areas have a high risk of malaria and Sickle Cell Anemia provides resistance to this disease. Heterozygotes who are carriers of the Sickle Cell gene posses enough sickle cells in their system to give protection but not enough to be a danger. The danger arises only when both recessive genes are present.

This is a picture showing the difference between the shape of normal blood cells and sickle cells. http://www.medicalook.com/diseases_images/sickle_cell_anemia2.jpg
 * Pictures: **

This picture shows how sickle cells clump in veins while normal red blood cells move freely.

[|http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/images/sickle_cell_01.jpg

Sources: Bownas, Jennifer. "HBB: the Gene Associated with Sickle Cell Anemia." __Human Genome Project Information__. 12 Sept. 2003. U.S. Department of Energy. 2 Apr. 2008 <[|http://www.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human_Genome/posters/chromosome/hbb.shtml>.]

Fahner, James, and Robin E. Miller. "Sickle Cell Anemia." __TeensHealth__. June 2007. Nemours Foundation. 2 Apr. 2008 <[|http://kidshealth.org/teen/diseases_conditions/genetic/sickle_cell_anemia.html>.]

Fahner, James, and Robin E. Miller. "Sickle Cell Anemia." __TeensHealth__. June 2007. Nemours Foundation. 2 Apr. 2008 <[|http://kidshealth.org/teen/diseases_conditions/genetic/sickle_cell_anemia.html>.]

"Sickle Cell Anemia." __Free Health Encyclopedia__. 2007. 6 Apr. 2008 <[|http://www.faqs.org/health/Sick-V4/Sickle-Cell-Anemia.html>.]

"Sickle Cell Anemia." __Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.__ 28 Mar. 2007. 6 Apr. 2008. <[|http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/sickle-cell-anemia/DS00324/DSECTION=7>.]

"Sickle Cell Anemia." __MedlinePlus__. 14 Mar. 2008. 2 Apr. 2008 <[|http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/sicklecellanemia.html>.]

S, Mayor. "95% of Women in England Not Screened for Sickle Cell Anaemia or Thalassaemia by 10 Week Target." __British Medical Journal__ (2008).

"What is Sickle Cell Anemia?" __National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute__. Nov. 2007. 2 Apr. 2008 <[|http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/Sca.html>.]

Comments:


 * **Initials**

|| Comments ||
 * HK & JM || We like your bibliography. It is quite detailed, and your facts are very interesting. We learned a lot. ||
 * GG & TC || Great job on your page! We thought that your pictures really helped to explain the disease. ||
 * AS & JP || Nice page! We thought it was odd that 95% of women in England aren't tested for the disease. ||
 * RS & UP || Good job! We think that you are missing a little part at the end of the diagnosis section. We would fix it for you, but we don't know what is supposed to go there, sorry! ||
 * EN & PR || Sweet picture at the top! It really got me enthralled in your page. Why are the women not tested? That is crazy. ||