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The genetic 'mutation' (or phenotype/genotype) that causes sickle-cell anemia didn't originate as a response to malaria. It happened and happens randomly, by simple chance. As malaria epidemics would strike some area, the people who didn't have the mutation would be less likely to survive. Thus the percent of people that had the mutation would increase, and (since it is genetic/hereditary) the percentage would quickly increase. In places where malaria was a regular hazard, the people who lacked the mutation would be rapidly selected out as the percentage of those with the mutation would have so strong a survival advantage.

The advantage was and is profound. Granted, the disease comes with a truly dreadful down-side. Regrettably, since the mutation doesn't kill you off before reproductive age, the selective pressure is simply "positive" so it only grants what seems like a genetic advantage.

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15y ago

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