SICKLE CELL ANEMIA The Disease Without Cure By
SICKLE CELL ANEMIA -The Disease Without Cure By Robert Gyomber, Taylor Farmer, and Shauna Mc. Closkey
WHAT IS IT? -Sickle Cell Anemia is a blood-related disease in which the standard red blood cells change from their healthy, round, flexible form to a hard, brittle, scythe-like cell that breaks apart and creates blockages in the bloodstream as well as hinder the flow of oxygen through the carrier’s system. It is lifelong, and the most unfortunate aspect of it is that there is no cure. However, there are treatments for the pain that comes with it.
Who does it affect? ➢ Sickle cell disease is not something that can be “caught”. Rather, it is diagnosed at birth after a series of tests on a newborn. People with the disease have it because they inherit two sickle cell genes from each parent. ➢ If you only inherit a sickle cell from one parent than you will have sickle cell trait. People who have sickle cell trait that do not show any sign of symptoms can still pass down their genes to their children, spreading the disease. ➢ Around 70, 000 -100, 000 people in America have sickle cell anemia
What molecule causes the disease? How does the molecule lead to the disease? ➢ The disease is caused by a complication in the amino acids of proteins. ➢ Glutamic acid enters the proteins in the place of an important acid known as valine, and this change is the primary cause of the illness, as it interferes with the DNA and genetic makeup of the proteins.
How does the molecule affect cells/tissues/organs? ➢ Sickle cell anemia affects only red blood cells. It causes the cells to form into a sickled shape which creates episodes of pain. ➢ When the red blood cells change into a sickle shape it can clog blood vessels. When the blood can’t get to where it is needed then the organs and tissues can’t get the oxygen they need to stay healthy.
Treatment ➢ To help with the problems it can cause, doctors have prescribed a few different kinds of treatment such as folic acid, penicillin or other antibiotics. ➢ Some people with the disease need to get transfusions of healthy red blood cells.
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