Pernicious anemia: the African experience (3 cases reports)

We report three cases of pernicious anemia diagnosed in women in Africa. All three women had macrocytic anemia with megaloblasts evident on medullogram. The patients had neurological signs of combined sclerosis and the presence of megaloblasts confirmed the diagnosis of pernicious anemia. All were successfully treated parenterally with vitamins. This disease seems to be underdiagnosed in Africa given the number of cases reported in previous studies.