Sickle Cell & Malaria
Biology: Cambridge International GCSE Supplement, topic 18.1.5
Sickle Cell Anaemia and Malaria
There is an interesting relationship between sickle cell anaemia and malaria.
Malaria resistance
- Individuals who are heterozygous for the sickle cell allele have increased resistance to malaria.
Is this common anywhere in particular?
- This is advantageous for survival in places where malaria is common.
- It is found more frequently in African, Caribbean, Asian, Middle Eastern and Eastern Mediterranean populations for this reason.
Test yourself on Sickle Cell & Malaria
Individuals who are heterozygous for the sickle cell allele have increased resistance to what disease?
In which of these places is heterozygosity for the sickle cell allele more common?
What does heterozygosity for the sickle cell allele mean in the context of malaria?