You’re referring to the fact that people who are carriers of the disease (i.e. are not affected, but can pass the disease on to their children if the other parent is also a carrier) are less likely to die of malaria.
This is obviously a survival advantage in areas of the world where malaria is a big problem e.g. Africa and Asia.
The slight survival advantage therefore means that overall more sickle cell carriers will live to have children than those who are not carriers. The sickle cell genes therefore get passed onto future generations, and continue to cause disease.
Therefore the elimination of malaria means the sickle cell genes lose their increased rate of transmission. This, together with the fact that people affected with sickle cell disease (as opposed to carriers, who are otherwise normal) are more likely to die young, means that the sickle cell genes could very slowly get wiped out over many hundreds of thousands of years.
nochocolate,
Sickle cell anaemia (sickle cell disease) is a disorder of the blood caused by an inherited abnormal haemoglobin. The abnormal haemoglobin causes distorted (sickled – sickle-shaped) red blood cells. The sickled red blood cells are fragile and prone to rupture. When the number of red blood cells decreases from rupture (haemolysis), anaemia is the result. This condition is referred to as sickle cell anaemia. The irregular sickled cells can also block blood vessels causing tissue and organ damage and pain. Malaria, on the other hand, is a potentially fatal tropical disease that is caused by a parasite known as plasmodium. It is spread through the bite of an infected female anopheles mosquito. There are four different types of malaria parasite - plasmodium falciparum which is the cause of malignant malaria, while plasmodium vivax, plasmodium ovale and plasmodium malariae cause more benign types of malaria. Malignant malaria can kill, but the other forms are much less likely to prove fatal.
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they are not connected…..sickle cell is genetic
Theoretically yes, over many many years.
You’re referring to the fact that people who are carriers of the disease (i.e. are not affected, but can pass the disease on to their children if the other parent is also a carrier) are less likely to die of malaria.
This is obviously a survival advantage in areas of the world where malaria is a big problem e.g. Africa and Asia.
The slight survival advantage therefore means that overall more sickle cell carriers will live to have children than those who are not carriers. The sickle cell genes therefore get passed onto future generations, and continue to cause disease.
Therefore the elimination of malaria means the sickle cell genes lose their increased rate of transmission. This, together with the fact that people affected with sickle cell disease (as opposed to carriers, who are otherwise normal) are more likely to die young, means that the sickle cell genes could very slowly get wiped out over many hundreds of thousands of years.
nochocolate,
Sickle cell anaemia (sickle cell disease) is a disorder of the blood caused by an inherited abnormal haemoglobin. The abnormal haemoglobin causes distorted (sickled – sickle-shaped) red blood cells. The sickled red blood cells are fragile and prone to rupture. When the number of red blood cells decreases from rupture (haemolysis), anaemia is the result. This condition is referred to as sickle cell anaemia. The irregular sickled cells can also block blood vessels causing tissue and organ damage and pain. Malaria, on the other hand, is a potentially fatal tropical disease that is caused by a parasite known as plasmodium. It is spread through the bite of an infected female anopheles mosquito. There are four different types of malaria parasite - plasmodium falciparum which is the cause of malignant malaria, while plasmodium vivax, plasmodium ovale and plasmodium malariae cause more benign types of malaria. Malignant malaria can kill, but the other forms are much less likely to prove fatal.
Hope this helps
matador 89