Its genetic. Its not contagious. You cannot catch it from someone else.
Who Is Affected by Sickle Cell Disease?
The patient and the family are all affected by the challenges of this condition. So are the schools, jobs, and communities where they live. When people are sick so many are affected and so many can find ways to help.
It is estimated that SCD affects 90,000 to 100,000 people in the United States, mainly Blacks or African Americans.
The disease occurs among about 1 of every 500 Black or African-American births and among about 1 of every 36,000 Hispanic-American births.
SCD affects millions of people throughout the world and is particularly common among those whose ancestors come from sub-Saharan Africa; regions in the Western Hemisphere (South America, the Caribbean, and Central America); Saudi Arabia; India; and Mediterranean countries such as Turkey, Greece, and Italy.