Sickle cell anemiais a congenital form of anemia that predominantly affects Black or African American individuals. It is an inherited condition caused by a mutation in the HBB gene, which encodes the beta-globin subunit of hemoglobin. This mutation results in the production of abnormal hemoglobin known as hemoglobin S (HbS). Under low oxygen conditions, HbS causes red blood cells to become rigid and sickle-shaped, leading to various complications including pain, infections, and anemia. Approximately one in ten African Americans carry the gene for sickle cell trait, making it one of the most common genetic disorders in this population.
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