Hemoglobinas variantes em doadores de sangue do Centro de Hematologia e Hemoterapia do estado do Piauí (Hemopi): conhecendo o perfil epidemiológico para construir a rede de assistência: [carta ao editor] / Hemoglobin S variants in blood donors of the Hematology and Hemotherapy Center of the state of Piauí (Hemopi): understanding the epidemiological profile to create a support network: [letter to the editor]

The most highly prevalent inherited disease in Brazil and in the world, sickle cell anemia, is considered a public health problem. Characterized by homozygosis for the hemoglobin S gene, the individual has a range of signs and symptoms that require careful treatment. The sickle cell trait is characterized by heterozygosis for the hemoglobin S gene, however the carrier does not express the disease. In the current study we aimed at verifying the presence of the sickle cell trait in 1000 blood donors of the Hematology and Hemotherapy Center of the State of Piauí (Hemopi) in the period from October 2007 to April 2008. After analysis by alkaline and acid electrophoresis, positive cases were confirmed by molecular biology. We obtained rates of 3.4 percent for hemoglobin AS and 5 percent for hemoglobin AC, with a total frequency of 3.9 percent in the total of 1,000 blood donors.