Increased morbidity of children with sickle cell disease facing bacterial contamination of water in some areas of the Province of Kenitra (Morocco)

Introduction. Sickle cell disease is the most common genetic disease in the world. It is manifested by painful crises, chronic hemolytic anemia and severe infectious episodes leading to multiple hospitalizations. Our work aimed to study repetitive childhood sickle cell crises that can potentially be linked to socioeconomic characteristics and environmental children in hospital at the University Hospital of Kenitra. Methods: This study focuses on children with sickle cell disease (N=28) hospitalized during 2021 at the University Hospital of Kenitra, as well as the bacteriological analysis of monitoring wells located in the residential areas of these patients, all from the province of Kenitra. Results: The mean age of the patients was 8.83 years; the age group under 6 represents 35.71%. The results show that 60.72% of these children come from rural areas, and the reasons for admission were dominated by infections (60.71%). Our results show that the bacteriological analysis of well water highlights the presence of some pathogens; the average concentration of total germs at 22˚C reaches 761 CFU/ml, and that of streptococci faeces is 4 CFU/ml especially in samples from rural areas (Mnasra, Sidi Taibi, Moulay Boussellham) inhabited by these children, which greatly exceeds international standards.&nbsp