Children of the Moon. Albinos. The largest albino family

Uniqueness is the friend of loneliness. Everything that nature creates unusual causes fear, surprise, admiration and prejudice. Albinos - the very case when indifferent to natural anomaly no, but be careful. Why are children born albinos and what should parents do about it? Find out on MedAboutMe.

Nature does not like monotony and creates incredible beauty of creation both among people and among the animal world. One gets the impression that nature, like an experimental scientist, regularly performs experiments, achieving unprecedented perfection. Sometimes the experiment fails, but she still exposes what happened to the public. It's just a pity, probably, to destroy your creations, even if not entirely successful.

Albinos are just that "failure". Abnormally beautiful, unusual, mysterious, but, as they say, "superfluous" in the expense of nature. This production is unprofitable. Albinos get sick more often, die more often, and do not live long. The point is not only that among representatives of the animal world they are too noticeable and become easy prey. It's a matter of genetics. In albinos, a genetic failure occurs, which is expressed in the complete blockade of the enzyme (“tyrosinase”), which helps to synthesize melanin, which is responsible for the color of tissues. Science does not yet know why the blockade occurs and what needs to be done to prevent it. Scientists only calculated that every seventieth person living on earth is a carrier of albinism. Colorless gene, giving rise to beautiful creatures, makes albinos pay dearly for inimitable beauty.

Albinism (from the Latin albeus, i.e. "white") - hereditary disease due to a genetic mutation that is passed on to children from their parents. The same “colorless gene” can “trick” and then parents with varying degrees albinism is born healthy child. Close relationship of parents, even if they have normal color skin, eyes and hair, can provoke the birth of an albino child. Albino children are found in all ethnic groups.

Personal opinion

I don't like the word "albinism". It sounds like we're flawed people, but we're ordinary normal people. We were both born with albinism. When we started talking about the baby, I persuaded Mark to go genetic expertise. Her results were expected: our child will be an albino. Now we have a beautiful three-year-old son, blond, like us. We can no longer imagine life without our son, who is full of energy and already seems much more confident than we were at his age. My son, of course, has vision problems, but I teach him that other children also have this, and if he holds the book a little closer to his eyes than other children, this does not mean that he is special. Edward is not shy about other children and communicates well with peers.

Unfortunately, there is still an unfriendly attitude towards albinos in Europe and the USA. I was absolutely disappointed with the character from The Da Vinci Code (the murderous monk Silas). I don't want my son to watch the animated film "Pirates" where an evil albino pirate operates.

My husband Mark is partnering with Leonard Cheshire Disability (a charity supporting people with disabilities in the UK and around the world) to fulfill his potential and live his life. We hope that our son will not experience the inconvenience that came with our youth. In any case, we will do everything for this.

Is it possible to know in advance about the birth of an albino child?

Unlikely. The disease is caused genetic disorders, therefore, all that future parents can do is to take the issue of offspring planning seriously and go through genetic testing. preventive measures there is no prevention of albinism in children.

What should I do if my child has albinism?

First, understand that albino children are the most common, but require additional care.

Second, see a doctor to help laboratory research find out the type of disease.

With complete albinism, the child will have all the characteristic external signs: hair and eyelashes of an unusual white color, pale, almost transparent dry skin, eyes with an absolutely colorless iris, which makes them appear red. Complete albinos are especially vulnerable to infection and sunlight.

With incomplete albinism in children, a reduced content of melanin, so the pigmentation of the skin, hair and iris will be incomplete, sometimes the disease is accompanied by photophobia.

With partial albinism, achromia appears (spots on the skin with a clear border), strands of bleached hair or the iris of the eyes are possible.

General signs of albinism of any type regarding vision:

• sensitivity to light;
• strabismus;
• refractive error.

Due to visual defects, albino children usually read with their heads tilted low.

Hypersensitivity of the skin of albino children leads to sunburn, which can contribute to the development of cancer.

How to help an albino child?

The main task of parents is to be careful and caring.

Caution is manifested in the observance of simple rules.

Permanent protection of the child from the action of UV rays, using simple tricks:

• sunscreens and moisturizing skin creams, burn remedies;
• preparations containing calcium and vitamin D;
• headscarves or other headwear;
• sunglasses;
• special clothing covering the whole body.

Albinism is a hereditary disease, so any self-medication is excluded. Medications can be taken only after consulting a doctor.

Albino children need extra care because of their unusual appearance. Often children become the object of ridicule, besides, they are sickly and parents need to be especially attentive to the health of an albino child.

Personal opinion

I was born in Hong Kong. The fourth child in the family, but the only albino. My unusual appearance caused me some suffering at first. After all, people don’t like that you are not like that, a “white crow”. I was ridiculed for a long time, condemned by my parents, humiliated because of strabismus, but all this is already in the past. Our family decided to move to Sweden. Mainly, of course, because of my skin color, but also because the sun is more gentle there. Yes, and I'm not so distinguished by my appearance.

Here I became interested in photography and music. Once my sister persuaded me to participate in a TV show. After this transfer, I was offered to try myself as a model. Now I'm working for Jean Paul Gaultier and I'm trying to combine that with a career as a rock singer.
People want you to feel uncomfortable, they want you to turn into an outsider and be sad. Can I let them do this just because I'm different from them? Of course not!

Treatment of albinism

"Incurable disease" - this is so far the conclusion modern doctors. Impossible with modern methods treatment to compensate for the lack of melanin in the body. Therefore, visual impairment in children associated with albinism cannot be eliminated.

In addition to light protection, use glasses and tinted lenses.

Correction of muscles in strabismus is possible with the help of surgical intervention.

Wariness from others in ordinary life turns out to be incredibly popular for albino children in the modeling business. "Wonder of nature from another planet" - so they are called.

Alina Yurkevich, Anastasia Zhidkova, Polina Bogdanova, Alena Subbotina, Anastasia Kumarova are already participating in professional photo shoots. These girls got into the modeling business due to their extraordinary appearance. They are albinos.

Nariyana Ivanova is from Yakutia. Journalists nicknamed her "Snow White" for unusual color skin and blond hair. Nariyana is artistic and charming, she is not at all shy about photography and film cameras and has already acquired thousands of fans on the Internet. Even the British Daily Mail posted her photo.

Nariyana's popularity is growing, and the scouts of many modeling agencies dream of getting a blond beauty from the Yakut village. While the artistic girl is studying in elementary school, therefore her mother "blocks" the requests of modeling agents and does not let Nariyana "to work".

Unusual models are in demand in the modern fashion industry. The puppet parameters of the former beauties "pass" in front of the mysterious appearance and charisma of albinos.

People are subconsciously wary of those who look different than everyone else. Parents who have an albino child should not take this as a misfortune. Any child is special and your blond angel needs the same care and love as other children.

Sometimes people who differ in their appearance from the usual image, others try to avoid and consider it strange. Albinos are just such a case. Indeed, having met a person with white hair, completely discolored skin and eyes with a pronounced red tint, some may even get scared.

Albinism is most common on the African continent. The reason lies in cultural and social traditions. Marriage within the same tribe results in the transmission of the defective gene to the child from both parents. Albinos have to create separate communities, which leads to marriages within them, respectively, with such connections, albino children are much more likely to be born.

Causes of albinism

The main reason for the development of this pathology is a violation of the metabolism of the amino acid tyrosine due to the absence of the tyrosinase enzyme, resulting in a weakening of the synthesis or full block deposits of melanin. This condition can be caused by various genetic mutations that are directly or indirectly involved in the process of pigment formation.

In the genes responsible for the formation of tyrosinase, there may be various violations. The degree of melanin deficiency depends on their nature. In some people, this disorder produces tyrosinase normally, in which case it is assumed that there is a mutation in the genes that regulate the production of another enzyme necessary for the formation of pigment.

What are the types of albinism?

According to the degree of prevalence, it is customary to distinguish:

1. Complete or total albinism. It is diagnosed from the moment the child is born. Melanin is absent in all tissues of the body: on the skin, in hair, nail plates and pupils.
2. Incomplete albinism (albinoidism). With this form, there is a decrease in skin pigmentation, hairline and the iris of the eyes.
3. Partial albinism. Albinism of the eyes is most common, although the anomaly may occur on the head, anterior abdominal wall, nail plates, or face.

1. Oculocutaneous albinism 1 - this disorder appears due to a defect in the gene for the enzyme tyrosinase, which is located on the XI chromosome. A mutation can lead to a complete absence or a decrease in the level of its formation. In the first case, it will be subtype 1A, and in the second - 1B.

2. Oculocutaneous albinism 1A is the most severe form of this type of disease. As a result of the mutation, a completely inactive tyrosinase enzyme is formed, which leads to a lack of melanin production throughout the patient's life. Typical signs: White skin, hair and a translucent blue iris of the eyes. Due to the lack of pigmentation, the skin is not able to tan. In addition, there is an increased risk of sunburn and skin cancer. Visual acuity is usually reduced. Also in this subtype, photophobia and nystagmus are most pronounced.

3. Oculocutaneous albinism 1B - in this case, a genetic mutation leads to a decrease in tyrosinase activity. Differences in pigmentation range from very slight to almost normal. Since some enzyme activity is still present, pigmentation of the skin, hair, and eyes of some people may increase with age, and over time, one may even start sunbathing. Such patients tend to darken the eyelashes, and they often become darker than the hair on the head. May appear on the iris brown pigmentation, sometimes only limitedly along the edge of the pupil. Visual acuity may improve with age.

4. Temperature-sensitive (heat-dependent) albinism is a subtype of the latter. It is caused by a mutation leading to the production of the heat-dependent tyrosinase enzyme. Its activity at 37°C is approximately 25% of normal and increases at lower temperatures. Since melanin is formed in the "cold" areas of the body, the hair on the legs and arms is usually dark, and on the head and in armpit remain white (over time, sometimes become yellowish).

5. Oculocutaneous albinism 2 (tyrosine-positive) is the most common type of pathology in all races. In this case, the tyrosinase enzyme synthesis remains normal. There are different variations in the phenotype in this form of the disease, which can vary from an almost normal level of pigmentation to its complete absence. It gradually appears with age, although the exact mechanism of this delay is unknown. The intensity of the appearance of pigmentation also depends on race. In addition, visual acuity also increases with time. At birth, the amount of pigment in Europeans can vary greatly. The skin is white and does not tan. The hair is pale yellow or darker with a red tinge. The color of the iris is gray-blue, while the degree of light transmission depends on the saturation of the pigment. Pigmentation increases with age and freckles and age spots appear in places exposed to the sun.

The phenotype of representatives of the Negroid race is different. At birth, their hair is usually yellow and remains so for life, but some darkening is still possible. The iris is gray-blue. The skin is white and not capable of tanning, but some patients may experience the appearance of age spots.

6. Brown oculocutaneous albinism is a subspecies of the 2nd type, exclusively manifested only in representatives of the Negroid race. Their hair and skin light brown, and the iris is grey. The hair and iris may darken over time, but skin color remains largely unchanged.

7. Oculocutaneous albinism 3 (red or red). In this case, the mutation leads to a violation of the formation of tyrosinase, as a result of which the pigment is synthesized not black, but brown. African patients have a characteristic phenotype of light brown or reddish-brown skin and hair, and brown-blue irises. Some patients lack iris transparency, strabismus, and nystagmus. The phenotype in Asians and Europeans is currently unknown.

8. Ocular albinism affects only the eyes. In such patients normal skin however, it may be slightly paler than that of its closest relatives. Eye manifestations are as follows: strabismus, nystagmus, reduced visual acuity, transparency of the iris, etc. Only men suffer from this form, and women are only carriers. Thus, the phenotype is fully manifested in males, while female carriers may have a fundus with dirty-colored spots and hypopigmented lines around the periphery, as well as a transparent iris.

Autosomal recessive ocular albinism has not yet been associated with any specific genetic disorder. However, it is assumed that some cases this disease is an ocular form of oculocutaneous types 1B and 2.

To the main clinical manifestations Albinism refers to pale skin, especially noticeable at birth. Often, due to translucent blood vessels, it has a pinkish tint. The eyes are blue at birth, however, in some angles they may also have a reddish color. As they grow, depending on the type of disease, the signs of albinism may change somewhat. With type 1A, melanin synthesis in the body does not occur at all, therefore, such a patient retains a white color of hair and skin for life and Blue eyes. Type 1B is characterized by a rapid accumulation of yellow pigment in the hair, due to which they take on a light straw color, often pigmentation of the cornea and eyelashes occurs with age.

Heat-dependent albinism is manifested by a peculiar distribution of melanin - normal pigmentation is observed on the limbs, while the skin and hair remain white. The eyes of such patients remain blue color. Noticeable variability clinical signs the 2nd type is also characterized: from an imperceptible lightening of the hair and skin to an almost complete absence of pigmentation. This form of the disease is also often characterized by an improvement in melanin synthesis with age: freckles begin to appear, hair darkens, and a tan occurs. Albino with exposure to the sun should be extremely careful, because his skin is very sensitive to ultraviolet irradiation, it burns quite easily.

one more characteristic symptom in patients with this pathology is a violation of visual acuity. It is the more pronounced, the weaker melanin is formed in the body, especially in the pigment layer of the retina and cornea. In addition, frequent manifestations of albinism are strabismus, nystagmus, astigmatism that occurs immediately after birth or in the first years of a child's life. At eye forms similar symptoms diseases are manifested without violation of pigmentation of hair and skin. In patients with albinism, photophobia often also occurs, sometimes turning into day blindness.

Patients with albinism must wear Sunglasses and also protect your skin by special means with a protection factor (SPF) of at least 30, even if the sun does not shine so much outside the window. In very hot weather, it is not recommended to go out at all. Clothing should be chosen exclusively from natural materials, while it should cover the entire surface of the body. It is also advisable to wear hats with a fairly wide brim.

Diagnosis of albinism

Oculocutaneous albinism caused by total absence tyrosinase, you can suspect immediately after the birth of the baby. Ocular albinism or incomplete forms are detected only when comprehensive examination: such a patient will need an examination by an ophthalmologist, a test for tyrosinase hair follicles, as well as DNA analysis for the presence of a genetic defect.

Treatment and prognosis for albinism

The most big family The world's albinos live in India. The father of the family, Roseturai Pullan, his wife Mani and their six children are all pure albinos. In addition, the eldest daughter of the head of the family, Renu, married another albino Roshiha and they had an albino son, Dharamraj. Thus, there are now 10 albinos in the Pullan clan.

For many years they had to live, regularly subjected to ridicule and contempt due to the prejudices of society. But now they unique gift makes them proud of themselves. The family may soon be included in the Guinness Book of Records.

1. Rozithurai Pullan, 50, with his wife Mani and five of their six children.

2. A unique clan of Indian albinos lives in a densely populated area of ​​Delhi in a small cramped apartment. They each have white hair, fair skin and blue eyes. Rositurai told the SUN tabloid that other Indians have given them the nickname "angrez", which means "English". They do not believe that all members of the family were born in India and moreover, they are Indians by blood. - We all have poor eyesight and we cannot stay in the sun for a long time, - the man shared the features of albinos, - but we are doing everything in our power to overcome such difficulties.

3. Wedding photo
The marriage of the albino Rositurai and his albino wife Mani was an arranged marriage. Both parents were the most ordinary people without signs of albinism and decided that it would be better for their strange children to live together. Before moving to Delhi, they lived in southern India, where they were considered outcasts and sick. They are more tolerant in Delhi, but most now think they are white people.

4. After Mani's first child was born an albino, she wanted to do a tubal ligation so that she would no longer give birth to "defective" children, but the doctor at the hospital was so scared of her that he refused to even look at her and Mani returned home.

Albino people are outlandish and unusual personalities for our society, meeting with whom always leaves a feeling of some mystery, the presence of something otherworldly and incredible.

External signs of albinos

By outward signs these people are distinguished by a transparent-pale skin color, too sensitive to sunlight, colorless eyelashes and snow-white hair.

The reason for this anomaly lies in the absence of melanin in the body - a special protective enzyme. For this reason, albino skin is exposed to the merciless effects of sunlight, which can cause many dangerous diseases. This deviation, laid down at the genetic level, can be either partial (with selective spotting skin), and complete, which is most often found among the Indians of Mexico, Arizona, North American blacks and residents of Sicily. Manifested at birth, albinism remains in a person's life forever.

In addition to having too light skin, the eyes of an albino human are numbing with their redness. FROM scientific point of view, this oddity can be explained by rays of light refracted at a certain angle passing through red eye vessels. In fact, most of these strange people eyes are gray or light blue, rarely purple and green.

Causes of albinism

The causes of albinism are:

• heredity;
• complications after illness.

This anomaly is divided into 10 groups, the most common of which are I and II.

Albino people of group I are characterized by white hair and skin. For this reason, they have big risk get skin cancer. More hallmark people in this category is poor eyesight. Their eyes are constantly twitching.

Albinos of group II have a skin color from yellowish to pink, with age it brightens.

Physical features of mysterious people

Albinos often have very weak immunity, and unusual appearance is not the only thing that distinguishes them from the rest. There are a number of properties inherent in these outlandish representatives of mankind.

They do not tolerate daylight, for which they are considered accomplices of dark forces. Albinos - people whose reasons for existence are laid down at the genetic level, have nothing to do with otherworldly forces. Lack or absence of pigment in the pupil leads to defective vision, so many of them are not even able to drive.

Along the way, insufficient vision entails complications such as:

• photophobia - fear of light;
• astigmatism - a violation of the shape of the lens, cornea and eye;
• tremor - shaking of the head.

Consequences of albinism

If the anomaly manifests itself in a severe form, then strabismus, myopia (myopia) and significant reduction vision (up to its loss). Albinos already by the age of 18 see only 20%. Quite often people with red eyes (albinos) become victims misdiagnosis physicians who detect atrophy in patients optic nerve due to the similarity of symptoms: pale fundus and poor vision. In most cases, atrophy in patients is not confirmed.

In addition to the fact that albinos do not see well, they also have hearing problems. In such people, there is a violation of blood clotting and short stature. Studies conducted in Tanzania have shown that all albino children have skin defects in the first year of life; There is one cancer for every 9-year-old child. Less than 2% of albinos live up to 40 years in Tanzania.

Treatment of albinism

The treatment of albinism is unsuccessful, since it is impossible to compensate for the lack of melanin and prevent visual impairment. The patient is advised to avoid being in the sun, to use all kinds of protective equipment when going outside. Sometimes Applicable surgical intervention, recovery oculomotor muscles with existing strabismus. Forming pathological transformations of the retina and optic nerve usually cannot be eliminated.

Who are albinos?

So, who are these incomprehensible and mysterious people - albinos? What is the nature of their origin? Why are albinos born?

The concept of "albino" introduced into our vocabulary Portuguese Francisco Baltazar, the founder of Philippine literature, erroneously considered "white Africans" to be the result of marriages between Europeans and the local population. Although the Europeans themselves learned about albinos from the stories of the Spanish knight Hernan Fernando Cortes, who lived in the 15th century, after his trip to North America. The latter claimed that the palace of Emperor Montezuma had a special room for "white creatures" brought during solar eclipses as a sacrifice to the gods. Nobody wanted to admit that albinos are people! Photos and other images of these unfortunates have been preserved for us by history.

One English pirate, whose name remained unknown, in his memoirs described the impressions of a long stay on the Isthmus of Panama, where he had the opportunity to meet people with an unusual milky-white skin color. This impressed the Englishman so much that he turned to the leader of the tribe with a question about the unusual appearance of these people. The answer received sounded mystical and spoke of the power of imagination of the expectant mother, who at the moment of conception looks at the moon.

Myths about albino people

The existence of these abnormal people surrounded by nature enough myths, according to which albinos are:

• the result of a curse;
• infectious carriers of the disease. Since ancient times, albinos have been avoided, trying to keep a distance from them; children with signs of albinism were often not accepted into schools and were not allowed to play with their peers;
• sterile (incapable of having children);
• lagging behind in development.

Albinos - a gift from heaven

Albinos have always been such intriguing personalities that they were endowed with all sorts of magical properties. It was believed that these creatures could predict the future, fly through the air, sleep with open eyes, while remembering and seeing everything that happens around, read the thoughts of strangers, turn water into blood, destroy at a distance. In the eyes of those around them, they were angels who descended to earth, able to heal with just one touch and able to read other people's thoughts.

In society, albino people were so outlandish that they even served as exhibits in traveling circuses, causing various reactions surrounding: from absolute rejection to the deepest admiration. Albinos are beautiful people, it's hard not to notice them in the crowd. They easily captivate with some deep inner magnetism. But often they are afraid, disguising fear under ridicule. And this makes people suffering from albinism feel excluded from society, loneliness and rejection.

Hunting for albino people

Albinos are people! Photos demonstrate that they are radically different from others, but this is not a reason to mock or discriminate against them. Unfortunately, this was not always the case. In the Middle Ages, they were declared assistants of the devil and burned at the stake.

Representatives African population believed in miraculous properties various parts bodies of albinos (including the most sought after - the genitals). With the help of them, they hoped to get good luck and wealth, to be cured of various diseases, and therefore hunted "white people" in every possible way. On the black market for one hand, which is deprived of a black albino, you can get more than 1 thousand dollars, which is slightly more than the annual salary of the inhabitants of this country.

The blond hair of an albino woven into fishing nets is considered an effective bait when catching fish. The earth, sprinkled with the ashes of albinos burned at the stake, according to some beliefs, will itself begin to bring gold to the surface and indicate the location of the gold-bearing vein. The African belief that the albino Negro dissolves in the air after death forces the curious to test this in practice and pushes them to commit a crime against a harmless person.

The bloody hunt for albinos was practically not punished; in best case they were considered "missing". But the atrocities in Tanzania have forced local authorities to at least start taking action to protect the country's unusual inhabitants. The first trial took place in 2009. For the murder and molestation of a 14-year-old boy, his punishers were hanged. But the bloodhunters simply invented more sophisticated methods of hunting. Now they began to simply cut off the limbs of their victims, leaving them alive. The last 3 years have been sad for 90 albinos, who were deprived of arms and legs by the killers.

Protection of albino people

The modern world has changed little in the lives of these mysterious people: they are still outcasts for society; an albino black born into a black family is considered inferior from the very moment of birth. Even today, the poor are forced to hide in guarded boarding houses, specially created for their protection. This is especially true for Africa, in particular Tanzania, where last years more than 20 people became victims of superstition. Albinos are forced to create public organizations aimed at protecting against discrimination and prejudice against unusual color skin and light hair. The governments of a number of countries, in an attempt to support albinos, provide them with humanitarian assistance and sponsor research work. In countries with a hot climate, there is an active promotion of measures to prevent skin cancer. Albinos are advised to use sunglasses, sunscreen, wear long sleeves; children under 3 years of age are generally advised to avoid exposure to sunlight as much as possible.

In Africa, it is planned to organize a network of medical institutions that, in parallel with the provision of medical care will provide counseling services to parents of albino children. In Tanzania, such clinics have already been established.

In the United States, the Organization of Representatives of Albinism and Hypopigmentism (OPAG), otherwise the Union of the Colorless, is fighting for the rights of albinos. Annual conferences are held at which all the hardships and difficult moments of the life of people in this category are discussed.

Statistics

According to the average data, one albino is born for every 20 thousand people. If we consider this issue from a territorial point of view, we can observe that albinism is most common among the indigenous inhabitants of the Panama coast - the Kuna Indians, whose total number is about 50 thousand people. For every 150 people they have 1 albino. This is the most high rate in the world. It is interesting to note that in fact the albinism gene is quite common in society: every 70th is its hidden carrier.

Most often, albinos (the people whose photos are presented in the article are their brightest representatives) are born to Africans. In addition to genetic congestion, this can also be explained by marriages between relatives characteristic of Africa. If the parents have different types albinism, then there is a chance of having a normal healthy child.

Everything that differs from the generally accepted norm and our ideas about "black and white" always causes different feelings - from wary interest to outright aggression and rejection. Albino people know this side of human nature better than anyone else. At the same time, from a scientific point of view, albinism is a rather curious phenomenon that has been thoroughly studied by scientists. The field of science that studies albinism is genetics, since this phenomenon is determined long before the birth of a person, during the combination of maternal and paternal genes at conception.

albino children

What is albinism?

Albinism - from lat. albus - white - this is a hereditary-conditioned absence of melanin, which is responsible for the color of the skin, hair, and iris. Melanin is a pigment found in the cells of the epidermis, hair and iris of the human eye. It is also found in other mammals, birds, reptiles and insects and is responsible for their unique coloration. Despite the fact that the name melanin (from Latin melos - black) indicates dark color pigment, there are also brown, yellow and red types of this substance.

The main function of melanin in humans and animals is protective. It is synthesized in the cells of the epidermis, hair and iris in response to exposure to solar radiation. Black color, as you know, absorbs ultraviolet, neutralizing its harmful effects. The color type of a person largely depends on the amount of melanin. Red-haired people, blonds, representatives of the Nordic type at the genetic level produce less melanin than black-haired or brown-haired people, representatives of the Mediterranean type of appearance, as well as people of the Negroid race.

In albinos, melanin is completely absent, which is why the appearance of a person turns out to be specific. Albinism is found among representatives of all races: Caucasians, Negroids, Mongoloids. In Africa, albino children (see photo) are born more often than on other continents: there is one albino for every 3 thousand newborns. There are slight differences due to racial determinism. For example, European-type albino people have completely white, milky-opal skin and snow-white hair. In African people, albinism is expressed in yellow hair color, and the skin can be not only white, but also grayish, light brown.

Why are people born albinos?

As has already been clarified, the point is in genetic mutations, as a result of which the body does not produce melanin. The mechanism of this phenomenon is a violation of the synthesis of tyrosinase, an enzyme that causes the formation of a dark pigment in melanocytes, the cells responsible for the production of melanin. The basis of tyrosinase contains copper, it reacts with oxygen in the form of two cations, as a result of which it darkens.

Violation of the production of tyrosinase is one of the main causes of albinism. But sometimes at albino people(see photo) this enzyme is still produced in the body, which suggests that there are other factors for discoloration of the skin, hair and iris.

In science, there are several types of albinism. Oculocutaneous albinism (OCA) is one of the most common in humans. It has the following characteristics:

• milky white skin, unable to tan;
• white or yellowish hair;
• light blue or transparent iris that allows light to pass through.

Due to the lack of melanin in the iris, the eyes look blue, because they do not absorb the visible part of the ultraviolet, reflecting it. With a transparent iris, the eyes of albino people (see photo) may look red, because sunlight shines through blood vessels in the iris and cornea (the so-called red-eye effect in a flash photo has a similar mechanism).

One of the dangers of albinism is the lack of natural protection against harmful effects ultraviolet. Because of this, many albino people are susceptible to malignant diseases skin. Unfortunately, the health problems associated with albinism do not end there.

In medicine, other deviations have also been recorded that have an established connection with a genetic mutation that causes a violation of melanin synthesis. Most often, albinos have extremely sensitive and vulnerable organs of vision. Due to the lack of protection of the iris with a dark pigment, photophobia is observed when a person cannot see in bright light. sunlight. There are other visual defects:

• refractive error (refraction of light in the lens);
• focusing disorders due to nystagmus (high-frequency involuntary eye oscillations);
• strabismus;
• astigmatism.

Very often, albinos have one more enough a rare event associated with a genetic anomaly - heterochromia of the eye, in which the iris of the eyes has a different color. But a negligible amount of pigment in the iris makes heterochromia almost invisible.

But in the dark, the eyes of albinos perfectly capture the light, thanks to which these people see much better in the evening and at night than others. Unfortunately, vision loss is enough early age- one of the common problems in albinos: up to 80% of them lose the ability to see normally by the age of 18-20.

What is it like to be an albino?

Albinism, in addition to health problems (susceptibility to skin cancer, decreased vision), forces albino people (see photo) to face other difficulties and limitations psychological nature. In the civilized world, despite the freedom from superstition, such people are still treated with caution and distrust. In various sectors of society, the attitude towards albinos is inversely proportional to the level of education and enlightenment. Illiterate people are most prone to a negative reaction to representatives with obvious differences from the norm. Because of this, albino children (photo) among their peers (at school) often become outcasts and objects of ridicule and bullying. In adulthood the problems of social exclusion do not disappear, although when moving into social circles with more high level education negative and alienation is reduced.

Can albinism benefit a person? Yes. Today, rare and unique traits and qualities in people, including in appearance, are valued in the world of art and show business. There are several examples of quite successful models among both women and men of albinism: Jewell Jeffrey, Nastya Zhidkova, Connie Chiu, Stephen Thompson and others. All of them are known for the combination of a unique genetic phenomenon and beautiful, harmonious facial features. But these are exceptional cases when albinism moves from the categories of flaws to the category of aesthetics.

But all the fears and superstitions associated with albinos are unfounded. As a genetic anomaly, it cannot be transmitted by airborne or other means. Usually, normal children are born to albino people, although in marriages where both parents are albino, the offspring also acquire this hereditary distinction. For example, in India there is a whole family of 10 people with albinism, thanks to which they were even listed in the Guinness Book of Records.

Unfortunately than less level enlightenment in the country, the more hostile attitudes are observed towards those who are different. For example, in some African countries (Tanzania, Kenya) being an albino is deadly. There are superstitions and occult beliefs associated with albinism. For example, it is believed that parts of the body, hair, skin of an albino can serve as amulets, so there are frequent cases of hunting and killing albinos in order to get parts of their bodies for ritual actions. Only in recent years, the official authorities of African countries began to fight the persecutors of albino people (photo) . Thanks to the media, the case of the trial of the murderers of an albino teenager in Tanzania, which ended in the execution of the criminals, gained wide publicity.

Human nature is such that on a subconscious level, we perceive everything different and unusual with distrust and hostility. Nothing can be done about it, because here lies the evolutionary mechanism for the protection of the species and survival, formed by nature over millennia. But in the age of unlimited access to information, we have a powerful weapon against ignorance and its consequences - curiosity and love for science. People who are somehow different from us through no fault of their own are the same as us. They deserve, if not love, then respect for their rights and freedom of a person, an individual, a person.