[Sickle cell test: for all ethnic minorities?]

Sickle cell disease not only occurs in the black but also in the non-negroid population. The sickle cell gene has already been detected in members of the Turkish population living in the Netherlands. It may not be excluded that sickle cell anemia or trait also can occur in members of other ethnic minority groups. Therefore it is desired to extend pre-operative screening of HBS on all immigrant children, including the non-negroid ones.