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. 2025 May 29:13:1578570.
doi: 10.3389/fped.2025.1578570. eCollection 2025.

Findings supporting neonatal screening for sickle cell disease: an observational study in Senegal

Lucie Petigas  1 , Ndiogou Seck  2   3 , Dominique Doupa  2   4 , Ibrahima Diagne  3   2 , Matthias Roth-Kleiner  1   5
Affiliations

Findings supporting neonatal screening for sickle cell disease: an observational study in Senegal

Lucie Petigas et al. Front Pediatr. .

Abstract

Introduction: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a major contributor to morbidity and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa, and early detection through neonatal screening can improve outcomes. In Senegal, systematic screening is not yet implemented. This study describes two cohorts of children diagnosed with SCD: those identified through neonatal screening and those diagnosed clinically after presenting symptoms.

Methods: This retrospective study involved two cohorts of children diagnosed with SCD in St. Louis, Senegal, between 2010 and 2020-one through neonatal screening (A) and the other clinically (B). Epidemiological, clinical, and management data were analyzed.

Results: Cohort A included 17,083 screened infants (74% screening rate), with 40 diagnosed at a mean age of 70.48 days, showing low complication rates and requiring less intensive treatment. Cohort B, with 39 clinically diagnosed children, had a mean diagnosis age of 21.9 months, with higher rates of hospitalizations, transfusions, and acute anemia. Vaccination and antibiotic prophylaxis were high in both cohorts.

Discussion: Neonatal screening enables early diagnosis, reducing complications and enabling timely interventions, while children diagnosed after symptoms face more severe disease. Early genetic counseling and addressing consanguinity are key for better outcomes. Challenges such as limited funding, equipment, and trained personnel must be addressed for broader implementation.

Conclusion: Neonatal screening aligns with public health goals by reducing morbidity and mortality, and the long-term economic burden on families and healthcare systems. It is particularly relevant in the context of increasing global migration patterns, underscoring the need for such programs worldwide.

Keywords: Senegal; health disparities; hemolytic anemia; neonatal screening; sickle cell disease.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Results of sickle cell disease screening in a neonatal population conducted at CERPADa, St. Louis, Senegal. aData collected by the Center for Research and Ambulatory Management of Sickle Cell Disease (CERPAD) of St-Louis, Senegal, between April 1, 2017 and April 30, 2021, at the two main maternity facilities in St. Louis, Senegal, the maternity ward of the Regional Hospital Center of St. Louis (CHR-SL) and the Saint-Louis Reference Health Center.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Complications in children with sickle cell disease according to the context of diagnosis. Cohort A are children diagnosed at birth by general screening and followed in the Center for Research and Ambulatory Management of Sickle Cell Disease. Cohort B are children diagnosed after a symptomatic episode consulting to Regional Hospital Center. St-Louis, Senegal.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Prescriptions for children with sickle cell disease, according to the context of their diagnosis. Cohort A are children diagnosed at birth by general screening and followed in the Center for Research and Ambulatory Management of Sickle Cell Disease. Cohort B are children diagnosed after a symptomatic episode consulting to Regional Hospital Center. St-Louis, Senegal.
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