On the African continent, approximately 1 in 100 individuals develop this disease. We wonder why the frequency of a potentially fatal disease is so much higher in Africa? The answer is linked to another deadly disease, which is called malaria. Chills, fever, vomiting, and severe headache characterize malaria (GENETICS Sickle Cell Case Study. (nd. 2000, October 19). Malaria is caused by a disgusting parasite called Plasmodium that is transmitted to humans by mosquitoes. When malaria parasites invade the bloodstream, red blood cells containing defective hemoglobin break out of sickle cell disease and die (Facts About Sickle Cell Disease. 2014, Jan. 16). This helps protect the individual with sickle cell disease from a malaria infection. As you can see, this is why different areas of the world have a high rate of malaria, such as