Red blood cell disorders in Rwandese neonates: screening for sickle cell disease and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the prevalence of haemoglobin (Hb) variants and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency in Rwanda.


METHODS
During a two-month period in 2005, 987 cord blood samples were obtained in two hospitals in Kigali and Butare, Rwanda. Screening for sickle cell disorders, other Hb disorders, G6PD deficiency and other rare erythroenzymopathy deficiencies was done using isoelectric focusing techniques and quantitative kinetic assays, respectively.


RESULTS
The prevalence of Hb S trait was 2.7% and that of G6PD deficiency was 3.8%. No neonate suffered from a sickle cell disease (homozygous for Hb S or compound heterozygous for Hb S), from another clinically significant haemoglobinopathy, or from pyruvate kinase or glucose phosphate isomerase deficiency.


CONCLUSIONS
Sickle cell disorders should be considered a public health problem in Kigali and Butare. A systematic neonatal screening programme for those disorders, and to diagnose G6PD deficiency, seems reasonable, but local health priorities must be considered. Adapted management of hereditary sickle cell and G6PD disorders should be available.
Munyanganizi
Rosine
R
Laboratory of Butare, National University of Rwanda, Rwanda, Africa.
Cotton
Frédéric
F
Vertongen
Fanchon
F
Gulbis
Béatrice
B
D000755:Anemia, Sickle Cell / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D005953:Glycogen Storage Disease Type I / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D015997:Neonatal Screening / Q000379:methods; D015995:Prevalence; D012432:Rwanda / Q000453:epidemiology