PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - E Kafando
AU  - E Nacoulma
AU  - Y Ouattara
AU  - J Ayéroué
AU  - F Cotton
AU  - M Sawadogo
AU  - B Gulbis
TI  - Neonatal haemoglobinopathy screening in Burkina Faso
AID  - 10.1136/jcp.2008.058966
DP  - 2009 Jan 01
TA  - Journal of Clinical Pathology
PG  - 39--41
VI  - 62
IP  - 1
4099  - http://jcp.bmj.com/content/62/1/39.short
4100  - http://jcp.bmj.com/content/62/1/39.full
SO  - J Clin Pathol2009 Jan 01; 62
AB  - Aims: To report our experience of neonatal screening for sickle cell disease in Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso) and to discuss the feasibility of neonatal screening in this country.Methods: Between the years 2000 and 2004, there were about 2341 births in five maternity services in Ouagadougou. These babies were screened for sickle cell disease in a universal screening pilot programme. In 2006, 53 babies born to selected couples were screened. The specimens were collected either by cord blood sampling or from a dried blood spot on filter paper. The screening was performed using an isoelectric focusing technique.Results: In the first stage (2000–4), the incidence of sickle cell disease was 1:57. In the second stage, six of 53 babies of selected couples were found to have major haemoglobinopathies: one was homozygous for haemoglobin S and five were compound heterozygotes for haemoglobins S and C.Conclusions: The results suggest that a national screening programme should be implemented in Burkina Faso with effective newborn and subsequent follow-up, but a methodology needs to be developed.