[en] Objectives To evaluate the feasibility of systematic neonatal screening for sickle cell disease in the region of Great Lakes in Central Africa using a new approach with limited costs. Methods Between July 2004 and July 2006, 1825 newborn dried blood samples were collected onto filter papers in four maternity units from Burundi, Rwanda and the East of the Democratic Republic of Congo. We tested for the presence of haemoglobin C and S in the eluted blood by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test using a monoclonal antibody. All ELISA-positive samples (multiple of the median (MoM) >= 1.5) were confirmed by a simple molecular test. The statistica software version 7.1 was used to create graphics and to fix the MoM cut-off, and the chi(2) of Pearson was used to compare the genotype incidences between countries. Results Of the 1825 samples screened, 97 (5.32%) were positive. Of these, 60 (3.28%) samples were heterozygous for Hb S, and four (0.22%) for Hb C; two (0.11%) newborns were Hb SS homozygotes. Conclusions The lower cost and the high specificity of ELISA test are appropriate for developing countries, and such systematic screening for sickle cell anaemia is therefore feasible.
Disciplines :
Public health, health care sciences & services
Author, co-author :
Mutesa, Léon; Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liège - CHU > Génétique
Boemer, François ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences biomédicales et précliniques > Génétique générale et humaine
Ngendahayo, Louis; Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liège - CHU > Génétique
Rulisa, Stephen
Rusingiza, Emmanuel
Cwinya-Ay, Neniling
Mazina, D. ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences de la santé publique > Santé au travail et éducation pour la santé (STES)
Kariyo, Pierre
Bours, Vincent ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences biomédicales et précliniques > Génétique générale et humaine
Schoos, Roland ; Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liège - CHU > Génétique
Language :
English
Title :
Neonatal screening for sickle cell disease in Central Africa: a study of 1825 newborns with a new enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay test
Publication date :
2007
Journal title :
Journal of Medical Screening
ISSN :
0969-1413
eISSN :
1475-5793
Publisher :
Royal Society of Medicine Press, London, United Kingdom
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