Question

Sickle-cell anemia is an interesting genetic disease. Normal homozygous individuals (SS) have normal blood cells that are easily infected with the malarial parasite. Thus, many of these individuals become very ill from the parasite and many die. Individuals homozygous for the sickle-cell trait (ss) have red blood cells that readily collapse when deoxygenated. Although malaria cannot grow in these red blood cells, individuals often die because of the genetic defect. However, individuals with the heterozygous condition (Ss) have some sickling of red blood cells, but generally not enough to cause mortality. In addition, malaria cannot survive well within these "partially defective" red blood cells. Thus, heterozygotes tend to survive better than either of the homozygous conditions. Assuming an African-American child were born each day of the year, statistically, one of these children per year would have a severe form of sickle-cell anemia (ss). Assuming Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium of these alleles, what is the percentage of the African-American population that are sickle-cell carriers? (Note that these carriers will turn out to be more resistant to malaria, should they decide to visit a malaria-infested part of the world; sometimes there are bizarre perks to being a carrier of a horrible disease!). Enter a percentage number (round up to whole number) without percent sign (%)