Saudi Arabian type of homozygous sickle cell (SS) disease in the Netherlands: a case report.

Abstract

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is an imported disease in the Netherlands. The diagnosis of homozygous sickle cell (SS) disease in almost all patients has been made in the country of origin or soon after arrival or birth in the Netherlands. This also applies to patients with sickle cell beta zero-thalassaemia (S beta zero thal) disease. We report a patient from Turkey whose haemoglobinopathy posed diagnostic difficulties with regard to the type of SCD, which appeared to be benign Saudi Arabian type of SS disease.