A survey of the incidence of sickle cell trait and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency in Zambia

There is a wide variation in the reported incidence of the sickle cell trait in Zambia. Previous tudies have been carried out in a few specific areas and until those of AsHWORTH and MACPHERSON (1968), the reported incidences have been based on the results of the sickle cell test only. No survey work on the incidence of glucose-6-phosphate d-hydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency has been reported from this country and information on the blood groups of Zambians is limited. We have made a survey into the incidence of these genetic characters overa large area of Zambia (Figure 1); the samples were taken from different ribal groups in the remote rural areas. The incidence of sickle cell trait and G6PD deficiency are the subject of this communication. Those of the blood group factors will be published later. A primary cor~sideration in the planning of this survey was the guaranteed speedy return of blood specimens to the laboratory for adequate and accurate investigation. We also considered, as a preliminary to the investigation of the urban communities in Zambia, that we should first investigate the rural people of the remote areas. The environment, customs and way of life of these peopl e we visited can have changed little