Editing Hemoglobinopathy (section)

==Evolutionary advantage==
[[File:Red Blood Cell abnormalities.png|thumb|Historical distribution of red blood cell abnormalities ]]
{{Main|Malaria resistance}}
Some hemoglobinopathies seem to have given an evolutionary benefit, especially to [[heterozygotes]], in areas where [[malaria]] is endemic. Malaria parasites infect red blood cells, but subtly disturb normal cellular function and subvert the immune response. A number of mechanisms have been proposed to explain the increased chance of survival for the carrier of an abnormal hemoglobin trait.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Taylor |first1=Steve M. |last2=Cerami |first2=Carla |last3=Fairhurst |first3=Rick M. |date=2013-05-16 |title=Hemoglobinopathies: Slicing the Gordian Knot of Plasmodium falciparum Malaria Pathogenesis |journal=PLOS Pathogens |language=en |volume=9 |issue=5 |pages=e1003327 |doi=10.1371/journal.ppat.1003327 |doi-access=free |issn=1553-7374 |pmc=3656091 |pmid=23696730}}</ref>