Humoral immunity and haemoglobin F (HbF) status in steady state adult Nigerian sickle cell disease patients with asymptomatic malaria

Sickle cell disorder is the most important genetic haematological disease that affects the people of black African descent. About 2% of all babies born to Nigerian parents have sickle cell anaemia (1). The distribution of indigenous sickle cell disorder coincides with the distribution of falciparum malaria. Possession of sickle cell trait confers a natural protection against death from malaria in children while sickle cell anaemia (HbS) easily develops severe hyper-haemolytic anaemia and are least fitted for survival in malaria environment (2). Increased mortality of HbS patients due to malaria was supported by Molineaux et al. (3) who reported improved survival of Nigerian children following introduction of anti-malaria measures.