One form of the family of genetic diseases that includes sickle cell anaemia is called sickle cell disease. Red blood cells affected by sickle cell anaemia look like sickles, similar to those used to harvest wheat. Some populations are disproportionately affected by sickle cell disease, and these populations include Africans, African Americans (1 in 12 have the sickle cell gene), and people of Hispanic heritage from Central and South America. Testing diagnosis of sickle cell anaemia (also known as sickle cell illness) or identifying individuals who are genetic carriers and have sickle cell traits are possible uses for sickle cell testing.
