[Polymorphism of hemoglobins D in Ivory Coast: Hb Korle Bu (beta 73 (E17) Asp leads to Asn), Hb Avicenna (beta 47 (CD6) Asp leads to Ala) and Hb Cocody (beta 21 (B3) Asp leads to Asn) (author's transl)].

A recent screening performed at the CHU Cocody in Abidjan (Ivory Coast) revealed six cases of hemoglobin "D". The use of a rapid strategy based on isoelectric focusing studies, finger-printing, reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography and solid phase microsequence technique led to the characterization of three abdominal hemoglobins. The first variant corresponded to the Hb Korle Bu (beta 73 (E17) Asp leads to Asn) (pI = 7.210) which is common in this country. The second, Hb Avicenna (beta 47 (CD6) Asp leads to Ala) (pI = 7.225) has not yet been reported in Africa. The last one was a new variant, Hb Cocody (beta 21 (B3) Asp leads to Asn) (pI = 7.205). A large number of hemoglobin "D" have been detected in European, American negroes, Amerindian or Asiatic populations, but only few observations were reported in Africa. Large screenings and discriminative methodologists must provide information on the polymorphism of hemoglobin D in the African population.