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Principles Of Inheritance And Variation

Question
CBSEENBI12002801

Sickle cell anaemia has not been eliminated from the African population because

  • it is controlled by recessive genes

  • it is not a fatal disease

  • it provides immunity against malaria

  • it is controlled by dominant genes

Solution

C.

it provides immunity against malaria

Sickle cell anaemia (in which RBCs become sickle shaped and stiff) is a genetic disorder that is autosomal and linked to a recessive allele. It has not been eliminated from the african population because it provides immunity against malaria. People who are heterozygous for sickle allele are much less susceptible for falciparum malaria which is one of the main causes of illness and death in them. Thus, the sickle cell allele is maintained at high levels in population where falciparum malaria is common.