8 Facts about albinism (albino) you need to know

There are many myths and superstitions circulating in various corners of the world about people with albinism (albino). African culture, for example, considers people with albinism to be a curse, even though certain parts of the body are said to have magical powers. This results in many cases of isolation, kidnapping, violence and murder of children, women and men with albinism. In Indonesia itself, people with albinism are often mistaken for “foreigners”, but they are really Indonesian native blood.

Here are eight facts about albinism that you must know to commemorate World Albinism Day which falls every June 13.

Uncover the myths and facts of albinism

1. Albinism is not the result of crossbreeding

Children born with albinism may appear "white" due to a lack of pigment in their skin color or even completely absent, but they are not the product of cross-racial sexual relations. Albinism is a genetic disorder that is inherited from parent to child, in which a person does not have the natural coloring pigment (melanin) in their skin and hair and eyes. That means, albinism can affect anyone, regardless of gender, social status, or a person's race and ethnicity.

As a result, people with albinism - often called 'albino' or technically 'albinoid' - will have very, very pale skin color, almost white hair, and pale blue or sometimes red or even purple eyes (This is because the red retina is visible through translucent iris) for the rest of his life.

2. There are many types of Albinime

The medical world has identified several types of albinism, which are distinguished by their characteristic changes in skin, hair and eye color and by their genetic causes.

Oculocutaneous albinism type 1 is characterized by white hair, very pale skin, and light-colored irises. Type 2 is usually less severe than type 1; The skin is usually creamy white, and the hair may be light yellow, blonde, or light brown in color. Type 3 includes a form of albinism called rufous oculocutaneous albinism, which usually affects people with black or dark skin. Affected individuals have reddish brown skin, ginger, or red hair, and irises that are hazel or brown in color. Type 4 has signs and symptoms similar to those seen in type 2.

Albinism results from mutations in several genes, including TYR, OCA2, TYRP1, and SLC45A2. Changes in the TYR gene cause type 1; Mutations in the OCA2 gene are responsible for type 2; The TYRP1 mutation causes type 3; and changes to the SLC45A2 gene produce type 4. A gene associated with albinism is involved in producing a pigment called melanin, which is the substance that gives skin, hair and eye color. Melanin also plays a role in retinal staining, which provides normal vision. That's why people with albinism tend to have vision problems.

3. One in 17 thousand people in the world live with albinism

Albinism is a rare genetic disorder, affecting about 1 in 17 thousand people living on earth. However, data on the prevalence of albinism by country are still confusing. Based on data from the World Health Organization (WHO), the number of cases of albinism in Europe and North America is estimated at 1 in 20 thousand people, while the figure in Sub-Saharan Africa varies from 1 per 5 thousand people to 1 per 15 thousand people. In some parts of Africa the figure is even higher, reaching 1 in every 3 thousand people.

4. Animals and plants can also experience albinism

Albinism can even be found in the plant and animal kingdoms. In the case of animals, albinism is not fatal. However, albino animals may face vision problems, making it difficult for them to hunt for food and protect themselves from harm. Therefore, their survival rate may be less than normal animals of the same species. White tigers and white whales are examples of albino animals that are known to be exotic because of their different and unusual skin colors.

However, albino plants usually have a short lifespan due to a lack of pigments that can threaten the photosynthesis process. Albino plants usually only survive less than 10 days.

5. People with albinism are prone to skin cancer

The “Caucasian” appearance that comes from albinism is due to a lack of melanin. Although humans do not need melanin to survive, a deficiency of the substance can cause health problems of its own because melanin helps protect the skin from UVA and UVB radiation from the sun. People with albinism synthesize vitamin D five times faster than people with dark skin. Because vitamin D is produced when ultraviolet-B rays enter the skin, the lack of pigmentation means that light can enter and penetrate the skin more easily.

This means someone who has albinism is twice as likely to get sunburned, even on cool days, than someone with more normal levels of melanin. It also means that people with albinism have a higher risk of developing melanoma skin cancer.

6. People with albinism have impaired vision

Although it is common for people with albinism to have pink or red eyes, the color of the iris can vary from light gray to blue (most common) and even brown. The reddish color comes from the light reflected off the back of the eye, in the same way that camera flash light sometimes produces images with red eyes.

Abnormality does not only occur in the physical appearance of the eye. People with albinism tend to have vision problems due to a lack of the pigment melanin in the retina. In addition to "coloring" the skin and hair, melanin also plays a role in retinal coloring, which provides normal vision. That's why they may have minus or plus eyes, and may need visual assistance.

Other eye problems associated with albinism include eye twitching (nystagmus), and sensitivity to light (photophobia). Some types of ocular versions of albinism that are passed from mother to child can be serious enough to cause permanent blindness.

7. Inbreeding is a risk factor for albinism

Inbreeding (incest) between close cousins, siblings, and biological parents is a very high risk of inheriting albinism in the offspring. This is because albinism is an autosomal recessive disease.

This disease will only appear when a child is born to a father and mother who both have this damaged gene. This means that you both carry a defective melanin-making gene that was passed down directly from your parents, and have a 50 percent chance of passing the defective gene to your child, so that their next offspring has a 25 percent chance of albinism risk. Meanwhile, if only one party has the albinism gene, the child will not inherit it.

Even so, not all albinos are the result of incest marriages. There is no strong medical evidence to suggest that incest is the sole cause of albinism. Albinism occurs when there is a mutation or genetic damage in a person's DNA. However, until now it has not been found the exact cause of this gene damage.

8. Albinism has no cure

There is no known cure-all for albinism, but there are some lifestyle changes or simple treatments to improve the quality of life for people with albinism. Visual disturbances and eye conditions can be treated by reducing direct exposure to light, by wearing glasses, or by undergoing surgery, and potential skin problems can be prevented / treated by regularly applying sunscreen of at least SPF 30 and other protective items (for example, long sleeved shirts and pants, hats, sunglasses, etc.).

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