INTERNATIONAL ALBINISM AWARENESS DAY (13 JUNE)

About:

• What is it? Albinism is a congenital disorder characterized in humans by the complete or partial absence of pigmentation (melanin) in the skin, hair and eyes. It is non-contagious.
  
  
• Health impact: Albinism is associated with a number of vision defects, such as photophobia, nystagmus, and amblyopia. Lack of skin pigmentation increases vulnerability to the sun and bright light. As a result, almost all people with albinism are visually impaired and are prone to developing skin cancer.
  
  
• Cause: Albinism results from inheritance of recessive gene alleles. In almost all types of albinism, both parents must carry the gene for it to be passed on, even if they do not have albinism themselves.
  
  
• Prevalence: The condition is found in both sexes regardless of ethnicity and in all countries of the world.
  
  
• Treatment: There is no cure for the absence of melanin that is central to albinism.