Is sickle cell disease only found in African-American communities?

Sickle cell disease is not limited to African-American communities, but is also prevalent in native Africans and people from India, Central and South America, Mediterranean and Caribbean nations. In the United States, more than 2,000 newborn babies inherit sickle cell disease at birth each year, according to WebMD.

Sickle cell disease is an inherited blood disorder caused by a abnormality in the gene that is responsible for producing healthy hemoglobin. This disorder causes the production of red blood cells that tend to be sticky and shaped like a sickle or rod. Unlike normal disc-shaped red blood cells that travel through the blood vessels normally, sickle cells do not flow properly and often result in blockages that hinder normal blood flow, according to WebMD.