The Role of the Clinical Laboratory in Diagnosis, Prognosis and Management of Diseases

The role of the clinical laboratory in diagnosis, prognosis and management of disease
Sickle cell anaemia
Sickle cell anaemia is a genetic disorder that affects the red blood cells. The normal shape of
the red blood cell is disc-shaped and the shape enables the cells to glide into the blood
vessels. It is a genetic disorder caused due to mutation in the gene called HBB which is
considered to be the designing the red blood cells. The haemoglobin is made of two amino
acids. The mutation of the cells causes changes in the red blood cells. The disorder causes the
red blood cell to attach together to form a sickle shape (Hunter 2018).
Pathophysiology of the disease condition includes the characteristics of red blood cells
having homozygous haemoglobin which are exposed to the conditions of losing the capacity
of caring oxygen. Moderate polymer structuring starts which end up in the formation of
sickle red blood cells. Repetitive formation of sickle-shaped red blood cell makes the
assumption of a normal feature of sickle shape (Kato et al. 2017).
The clinical laboratory plays a vital role in diagnosing and management of the disease
condition. Abnormal red blood cells are diagnosed with the help of various laboratory tests.
Haemoglobin electrophoresis is the most common test used in the process of diagnosing
sickle cell anaemia. It analyses the various kinds of proteins in the red blood cells. The test
confirms the shape of the haemoglobin which is S in shape. Clinical pathologist acts as one of
the multi-disciplinary team members in finding the progress of treatment.
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis is the infection caused by the Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which is pole shaped
bacteria that can be transmitted through airborne droplets. The bacteria affect the respiratory
system. It is a slow-growing bacterium that maintains various stains after the process of
decolouration with acid alcohol. It is considered to be the base of the acid-fast stains which is