People-albinos have a bright appearance, but this is not their main feature. The lack of melanin makes the body more vulnerable to sunlight and leads to a number of disorders. You can not eliminate the problem, you can only take measures to improve your condition.
Who are albinos?
It is believed that such representatives of the human race should have discolored strands, pale skin and red eyes. In reality, albinism in man manifests itself and not completely, becoming unobtrusive to an outsider. The carrier of this anomaly is unlikely to remain ignorant, because it often leads to a deterioration in health and the need to pay more attention to the skin condition.
In countries with a low level of education, there are many superstitions associated with this phenomenon. Tanzanian healers see albinos as a threat to others, which leads to the expulsion or declaration of hunting. In other African countries, these people are credited with healing power, so they try to obtain for themselves a unique white specimen or some part of it for creating a talisman or eating.
Is albinism inherited?
It will not occur, it does not spread by airborne droplets, blood transfusions or physical contact. The albino people receive it from their parents or because of a gene mutation that has occurred with unknown prerequisites. The variant is more often fixed, when the gene of albinism comes from the ancestors-carriers. As a result, the body of the child stops releasing the necessary enzyme.
How is albinism inherited?
At the time of birth, all have already been programmed for a specific skin color, hair and eyes. The obligation for this is borne by several genes, any change in even one leads to a reduction in the synthesis of the pigment. Albinism is inherited in humans as a recessive trait or dominant. In the first case, to obtain such an effect, a combination of two distorted genes is necessary, in the second case, the manifestation will be stable in each generation. Therefore, albino children do not necessarily appear in a couple, in which one of the parents acts as a bearer of the broken code section.
The causes of albinism
Melanin is responsible for coloring the skin, the smaller it is, the color is lighter. Deficiency or absolute absence of a pigment is explained by the disease albinism, which can have different brightness manifestations. The production of melanin corresponds to tyrosinase, an enzyme, the content of which is genetically determined. If its concentration or activity is small, then melanin will not appear.
Albinism - the symptoms
There are different levels of severity of this disease. It depends on them, which signs of albinism from the listed will be present in a person.
- weakening or complete depigmentation of the skin, hair and nails;
- violation of sweating;
- baldness , delayed or excessive growth of hair in uncharacteristic places;
- well-marked vessels in the iris;
- painful reaction to light.
Types of albinism
- Full. This is the heaviest form, for 10-20 thousand people it is one owner. Presumably, there is 1.5% of carriers of a gene with normal pigmentation. Total albinism in humans, a recessive symptom, manifests itself immediately after birth. It is characterized by complete discoloration and dry skin, eyes have a reddish tinge, visual disturbances and a strong reaction to light. The skin quickly burns in the sun, lips become inflamed. People-albinos are prone to infertility , frequent infections, sometimes developmental defects and mental inferiority are observed.
- Incomplete. Albinism is a mutation inherited by a dominant feature. At her tyrosinase activity is lowered, but completely its functions are not blocked. Therefore, the color of the skin, nails and hair is only weakened, the eyes often react painfully to light.
- Partial. Dispatched by inheritance in the same way as the previous one. It is characterized by discoloration of individual areas of skin and hair strands, on the depigmented areas there are small brown spots. Visible immediately after birth, development with age is not receiving, no effect on health.
How to treat albinism?
Replenishment of the pigment deficiency is impossible, its introduction from the outside is ineffective. Therefore, the answer to the question is whether albinism is treated, only negative. But there is a chance to fix the problems that accompany it. Often there are visual impairments, to correct them use:
- glasses and contact lenses;
- Operation (with strabismus rarely gives the desired effect).
Albinism - Clinical Recommendations
Often, the appearance is enough to make a diagnosis, after which the specialist can only give recommendations. But albinism in humans is incomplete, then special methods are required for an accurate assessment of the condition.
- DNA test. Helps to study hair follicles and reveal the presence of tyrosinase.
- Inspection of the ophthalmologist. Assessment of the fundus, iris and the definition of nystagmus.
- Blood test. Studies thrombocytes, in many people, albinos, the blood coagulation system is different from normal.
After carrying out necessary researches the doctor makes the list of measures which will help to improve a condition. In addition to treating problems with vision, you can do the following.
- Glasses with blackout when entering the street or for permanent wearing.
- Cream with a high level of protection against UV rays for open areas of the body.
- Clothing and hats, covering from the sun. It is desirable to have a natural composition to avoid irritation of sensitive skin.
- In partial type, beta-carotene is recommended to enhance the color of the skin.
Albinism - consequences
The absence of tyrosinase, in addition to a strong eye reaction to light and a high sensitivity to UV rays, can lead to:
- severe reduction of visual acuity;
- astigmatism;
- strabismus;
- transparency of the iris;
- involuntary movement of eyeballs.
The eye shape is found only in men, women - only carriers. The eyes of the albino, even with the total type of disease, are not red. They look like this only in photos because of a flash that highlights well-marked blood vessels. The front part of the iris consists of collagen fibers, which are colored by the ingress and scattering of color. In a healthy person, the color of the eyes depends on the density of their location and the concentration of melanin, albinism eliminates the second point, so with this disease, the eyes are:
- blue;
- blue;
- gray;
- dark gray.
How many live albinos?
The very absence of a pigment does not significantly affect the life expectancy, it can be reduced by concomitant diseases. Particular attention should be given to the holders of the total form, but they can not experience any significant discomfort if the doctor's recommendations are observed. How many years live albinos with partial manifestations, too, can not be predicted, because they may not notice their features. Therefore, in the presence of this transformation of genes, one should not worry, it is not deadly.