Routine screening for sickle cell haemoglobinopathy by electrophoresis in an infant welfare clinic.
The experience of a Nigerian infant welfare clinic in offering sickle cell haemoglo-binopathy (SCH) screening by electrophoresis to its clinic population over a 12-year period is reported. Overall 10,115 children were screened. Homozygous haemoglobin S was detected in 3.1% and haemoglobin S + C in 1.1%. Carriers of the sickle cell gene (haemoglobin A + S) comprised 23.7% of the children screened. Gene frequencies for the A, S and C genes were 0.814, 0.155 and 0.031 respectively. The gene frequencies of the S and C genes were higher than those reported in infants and under-five children from other parts of Nigeria. Screening for sickle cell haemoglobinopathy in the first year of life through infant welfare clinics and 'well-baby' clinics as described in this report is suggested as a viable approach to the problems of detection (and genetic counselling) of SCH in developing countries with their scant resources. The advantages and limitations of this approach are discussed.
Institute of Child Health, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Nigeria.
O O
OO
Omotade
C M
CM
Kayode
S L
SL
Falade
S
S
Ikpeme
A A
AA
Adeyemo
F M
FM
Akinkugbe
D001797:Blood Protein Electrophoresis; D003906:Developing Countries; D005260:Female; D006580:Genetic Carrier Screening; D006450:Hemoglobin SC Disease / Q000235:genetics / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007229:Infant Welfare; D008297:Male; D009549:Nigeria; D012805:Sickle Cell Trait / Q000235:genetics / Q000517:prevention & control*