Albinism Classification and external resources
Girl from Honduras with probable OCA1a-type albinism. Honduras in Spanish, República de Honduras) is a democratic republic in Central America.
ICD-10	E70.3
ICD-9	270.2
OMIM	203100 103470, 203200, 203280, 203290, 203300, 203310, 256710, 278400, 214450, 214500, 220900, 300500, 300600, 300650, 300700, 600501, 604228, 606574, 606952, 607624, 609227
DiseasesDB	318
MedlinePlus	001479
eMedicine	derm/12
MeSH	D000417

Albinism (from Latin albus, "white"; see extended etymology) is a form of hypopigmentary congenital disorder, characterized by a partial (in hypomelanism, also known as hypomelanosis) or total (amelanism or amelanosis) lack of melanin pigment in the eyes, skin and hair (or more rarely the eyes alone). The International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (most commonly known by the abbreviation ICD) provides codes to classify Diseases The International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems 10th Revision ( ICD -10) is a coding of diseases and signs symptoms abnormal findings E00-E35 - Endocrine diseases (E00-E07 Thyroid gland / Thyroid hormone ( Congenital iodine-deficiency syndrome ( The International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (most commonly known by the abbreviation ICD) provides codes to classify Diseases The following is a list of codes for International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems. The Mendelian Inheritance in Man project is a Database that catalogues all the known Diseases with a genetic component, and—when possible—links them The Diseases Database is a free Website that provides information about the relationships between medical conditions Symptoms, and Medications. MedlinePlus, with the MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia, is a website network containing Health information from the world's largest medical Library eMedicine is an online clinical medical knowledge base that was founded in 1996 by Scott Plantz and Richard Lavely two medical doctors Medical Subject Headings ( MeSH) is a huge Controlled vocabulary (or metadata system for the purpose of indexing journal articles and books Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. Hypopigmentation is the loss of skin color It is caused by Melanocyte depletion &mdash a decrease in the amino acid Tyrosine, which is used by melanocytes to make A congenital disorder is a disease or disorder that is present at birth Melanin is a class of compounds found in the Plant, Animal and Protista kingdoms, where it serves predominantly as a Pigment. In Biology, a pigment or biochrome is any material resulting in Color of plant or animal cells which Albinism results from inheritance of recessive alleles. The condition is known to affect mammals (including humans), fish, birds, reptiles, and amphibians. While the most common term for an organism affected by albinism is "albino" (noun and adjective), the word is sometimes used in derogatory ways towards people; more neutral terms are "albinistic" (adjective) and "person with albinism" (noun). Additional clinical adjectives sometimes used to refer to animals are "albinoid" and "albinic".

Contents 1 Types of human albinism 1.1 Classification 2 Symptoms and conditions associated with albinism 3 Treatment of the symptoms 3.1 Surgical treatment 3.2 Vision aids 3.3 Sun protection 4 Misconceptions 5 Culture 6 See also 7 References 8 External links 8.1 Albinism in humans 8.1.1 Albinism support organizations 8.1.2 Other 8.2 Albinism in animals

Types of human albinism

Albinism is hereditary; it is not an infectious disease and cannot be transmitted through contact, blood transfusions, or other vectors. An infectious disease is a clinically evident Disease resulting from the presence of Pathogenic microbial agents including Pathogenic viruses Pathogenic Blood transfusion is the process of transferring Blood or blood-based products from one person into the Circulatory system of another In Epidemiology, a vector is an Organism that does not cause Disease itself but which transmits Infection by conveying Pathogens from The principal gene which results in albinism prevents the body from making the usual amounts of the pigment melanin. In Biology, a pigment or biochrome is any material resulting in Color of plant or animal cells which Melanin is a class of compounds found in the Plant, Animal and Protista kingdoms, where it serves predominantly as a Pigment. Most forms of albinism are the result of the biological inheritance of genetically recessive alleles (genes) passed from both parents of an individual, though some rare forms are inherited from only one parent. An allele (ˈæliːl (UK /əˈliːl/ (US (from the Greek αλληλος allelos, meaning each other) is one member of a pair or series of different forms History See also History of genetics The existence of genes was first suggested by Gregor Mendel (1822-1884 who in the 1860s studied inheritance There are other genetic mutations which are proven to be associated with albinism. In biology mutations are changes to the Nucleotide sequence of the Genetic material of an organism All alterations, however, lead to changes in melanin production in the body. ^[1][2]

Albinism was formerly categorized as tyrosinase-positive or -negative. Tyrosinase (monophenol monooxygenase ( CAS number: 9002-10-2 is an Enzyme that catalyses the Oxidation of Phenols (such as In cases of tyrosinase-positive albinism, the enzyme tyrosinase is present. Enzymes are Biomolecules that catalyze ( ie increase the rates of Chemical reactions Almost all enzymes are Proteins The melanocytes (pigment cells) are unable to produce melanin for any one of a variety of reasons that do not directly involve the tyrosinase enzyme. Melanocytes are cells located in the bottom layer (the Stratum basale) of the skin's epidermis and in the middle layer of the eye (the Uvea) In tyrosinase-negative cases, either the tyrosinase enzyme is not produced or a nonfunctional version is produced. This classification has been rendered obsolete by recent research. ^[3]

The chance of offspring with albinism resulting from the pairing of an organism with albinism and one without albinism is low, as discussed in more detail below. However, because organisms can be carriers of genes for albinism without exhibiting any traits, albinistic offspring can be produced by two non-albinistic parents. Albinism usually occurs with equal frequency in both genders. ^[1] An exception to this is ocular albinism, because it is passed on to offspring through X-linked inheritance. Thus, males more frequently have ocular albinism. ^[3]

Because organisms with albinism have skin that lacks (sufficiently or entirely) the dark pigment melanin, which helps protect the skin from ultraviolet radiation coming from the sun, they can sunburn easily from overexposure. Ultraviolet ( UV) light is Electromagnetic radiation with a Wavelength shorter than that of Visible light, but longer than X-rays Radiation, as in Physics, is Energy in the form of waves or moving Subatomic particles emitted by an atom or other body as it changes from a higher energy A sunburn is a burn to living tissue such as Skin produced by overexposure to Ultraviolet (UV radiation commonly from the Sun 's rays (See human skin color for more information). Human skin color can range from almost black (due to very high concentrations of the dark brown pigment melanin to nearly colorless (appearing reddish white due to the Blood Lack of melanin in the eye also results in problems with vision, related and unrelated to photosensitivity, which are discussed further below. Photosensitivity is the amount to which an object reacts upon receiving Photons especially Visible light.

Most humans and many animals with albinism appear white or very pale; the multiple types of melanin pigment are responsible for brown, black, gray, and some yellow colorations. In some animals, especially albinistic birds and reptiles, ruddy and yellow hues or other colors may be present on the entire body or in patches (as is common among pigeons), due to the presence of other pigments unaffected by albinism such as porphyrins, pteridines and psittacins, as well as carotenoid pigments derived from the diet. Albinism in birds is rare occurring to any extent in perhaps one in 1800 individuals (Terres 1980 A porphyrin is a heterocyclic Macrocycle derived from four Pyrroline subunits interconnected via their α carbon atoms via Methine bridges (=CH- Pteridine is a chemical compound composed of fused Pyrimidine and Pyrazine rings Carotenoids are organic Pigments that are naturally occurring in Chromoplasts of plants and some other photosynthetic Organisms Some animals are white or pale due to chromatophore (pigment cell) defects, do not lack melanin production, and have normal eyes; they are referred to as leucistic. Chromatophores are pigment -containing and light-reflecting cells found in Amphibians Fish, Reptiles Crustaceans and Leucism is a condition characterized by reduced Pigmentation in animals The direct opposite of albinism, an unusually high level of melanin pigmentation (and sometimes absence of other types of pigment in species that have more than one), is known as melanism, and results in an appearance darker than non-melanistic specimens from the same genepool. Melanism μέλας is an increased amount of black or nearly black Pigmentation (as of Skin, Feathers or Hair) of an organism resulting from ^[4] Albinism-like conditions may affect other pigments or pigment-production mechanisms in some animals (e. g. "whiteface", a lack of psittacins that can affect some parrot species. ). ^[5] Another is common in reptiles and amphibians: axanthism, in which xanthophore metabolism, instead of synthesis of melanin, is affected, resuling in reduction or absence of red and yellow pteridine pigments. Xanthochromism (also called xanthochroism or xanthism) is a term that may be applied to birds fish and other animals whose colouration is unusually yellow through Chromatophores are pigment -containing and light-reflecting cells found in Amphibians Fish, Reptiles Crustaceans and Metabolism is the set of Chemical reactions that occur in living Organisms in order to maintain Life. ^[6] Of all these conditions, only albinism and melanism affect humans.

The eyes of an animal with albinism occasionally appear red due to the underlying retinal blood vessels showing through where there is not enough pigment to cover them. Animal testing or animal research is the use of non-human Animals in scientific experimentation. In humans this is rarely the case, as a human eye is quite large and thus produces enough pigment to lend opacity to the eye, often colouring the iris pale blue. However, there are cases in which the eyes of an albinistic person appear red or purple, depending on the amount of pigment present. The albinistic are generally (but see related disorders below) as healthy as the rest of their species, with growth and development occurring as normal, and albinism by itself does not cause mortality^[1] (though the lack of pigment is an elevated risk for skin cancer and other problems. ) Many animals with albinism lack their protective camouflage and are unable to conceal themselves from their predators or prey; the survival rate of animals with albinism in the wild is usually quite low. Camouflage is a method of cryptic or concealing coloration that allows an otherwise visible Organism ^{[7] [8]} However the novelty of albino animals has occasionally led to their protection by groups such as the Albino Squirrel Preservation Society. The Albino Squirrel Preservation Society ( ASPS) is an international collegiate organization dedicated to "fostering compassion and goodwill" toward albino

Intentionally-bred albinistic strains of some animal species are commonly used as model organisms in biomedical study and experimentation. A model organism is a Species that is extensively studied to understand particular biological Phenomena, with the expectation that discoveries made Examples include the BALB/c mouse and Wistar and Sprague Dawley rat strains, while albino rabbits were historically used for Draize toxicity testing. BALB/c is an Albino strain of laboratory Mouse from which a number of common substrains are derived Animal testing on rabbits The Draize Test is an acute toxicity test devised in 1944 by Food and Drug Administration (FDA Toxicologist John H ^[9] Albino axolotls, zebrafish, medaka and frogs are other common laboratory animals. The axolotl ( Ambystoma mexicanum) is the best-known of the Mexican neotenic Mole salamanders belonging to the Tiger Salamander complex The zebrafish or zebra danio, Danio rerio, a Tropical Freshwater Fish belonging to the minnow family ( Cyprinidae) The Medaka (as it is known in Japanese or Japanese killifish, Oryzias latipes, is a very small Ricefish, popular as an aquarium fish native to Xenopus (L strange foot) are a genus of Carnivorous Frog native to The yellow mutation in fruit flies is their version of albinism. Drosophila is a Genus of small flies, belonging to the family Drosophilidae, whose members are often called "fruit flies"

The incidence of albinism can be artificially increased in fish by exposing the eggs to heavy metals. ^[10]

About 1 in 17,000 human beings has some type of albinism, although up to 1 in 70 is a carrier of albinism genes. ^[11]

Classification

There are two main categories of albinism in humans:

• In oculocutaneous albinism (despite its Latin-derived name meaning "eye-and-skin" albinism), pigment is lacking in the eyes, skin and hair. Oculocutaneous albinism is a form of Albinism involving the Eyes ("oculo-" Skin ("-cutaneous" and according to some definitions (The equivalent mutation in non-humans also results in lack of melanin in the fur, scales or feathers. )
• In ocular albinism, only the eyes lack pigment. Ocular albinism is a form of Albinism which in contrast to Oculocutaneous albinism, presents primarily in the Eyes Both known genes are on the People with oculocutaneous albinism can have anywhere from no pigment at all to almost-normal levels. People who have ocular albinism have generally normal skin and hair color, and many even have a normal eye appearance.

Other conditions include albinism as part of their presentation. These include Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome, Chediak-Higashi syndrome, Griscelli syndrome, Waardenburg syndrome, and Tietz syndrome. Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome (HPS is a rare Autosomal Recessive disorder which results in oculocutaneous albinism (decreased Pigmentation) bleeding Griscelli syndrome is a rare Autosomal recessive disorder characterized by Albinism (hypopigmentation with Immunodeficiency, that usually causes death Waardenburg syndrome is a rare Genetic disorder most often characterized by varying degrees of Deafness, minor defects in structures arising from the Neural Tietz syndrome is a condition characterized by Deafness and Albinism. These conditions are sometimes classified with albinism. ^[12]

Symptoms and conditions associated with albinism

Genetic testing can confirm albinism and what variety it is, but offers no medical benefits except in the cases of non-OCA disorders (see below) that cause albinism along with other medical problems which may be treatable. Genetic testing allows the genetic Diagnosis of vulnerabilities to inherited Diseases, and can also be used to determine a person's Ancestry. The symptoms of albinism can be treated by various methods detailed below.

Eye conditions common in albinism may include:

• Nystagmus, irregular rapid movement of the eyes back and forth, or in circular motion. Pathologic nystagmus is a form of involuntary Eye movement. It is characterized by alternating Smooth pursuit in one direction and Saccadic movement in
• Strabismus, eye misalignment ("crossed eyes" or "lazy eye"). Strabismus (from Greek: στραβισμός strabismos, from στραβίζειν strabizein "to squint" from στραβός strabos
• Refractive errors such as myopia or hyperopia and especially astigmatism are more likely^[13]
• Photophobia, hypersensitivity to bright light and glare. Myopia (from Greek: μυωπία myopia "near-sightedness" also called near- or short-sightedness, is a refractive defect Hyperopia, also known as farsightedness or longsightedness, is a Defect of vision caused by an imperfection in the Eye (often when Astigmatism is an optical defect whereby vision is blurred due to the inability of the optics of the eye to focus a point object into a sharp focused image on the retina Photophobia is a Symptom of excessive sensitivity to Light and the aversion to Sunlight or well-lit places Hypersensitivity (also called hypersensitivity reaction refers to undesirable (damaging discomfort-producing and sometimes fatal reactions produced by the normal immune system
• Foveal hypoplasia, underdevelopment of the fovea, the center of the retina
• Optic nerve hypoplasia, underdevelopment of the optic nerve
• Abnormal decussation (crossing) of the optic nerve fibers in the optic chiasm^[14]
• Amblyopia, decrease in acuity of one or both eyes due to poor transmission to the brain, often due to other conditions such as strabismus. The fovea, also known as the fovea centralis, is a part of the Eye, located in the center of the Macula region of the Retina. The vertebrate retina is a light sensitive part inside the inner layer of the Eye. Optic nerve hypoplasia is a medical condition that results in underdevelopment of the Optic nerves Development of the optic nerve During the second month of The optic chiasm ( Greek χίασμα "crossing" from the Greek χλαζειν 'to mark with an X' after the Greek letter ' Χ ' chi) is the Amblyopia, otherwise known as lazy eye, is a disorder of the Visual system that is characterized by poor or indistinct vision in an eye that Strabismus (from Greek: στραβισμός strabismos, from στραβίζειν strabizein "to squint" from στραβός strabos

Organisms with albinism usually have impaired vision due to one or more of the listed conditions. Papua New Guinea (or ˈpæpjuːə in Tok Pisin: Papua Niugini) officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania While a person with albinism may suffer from common refractive errors like nearsightedness or farsightedness, the visual problems particularly associated with albinism arise from a poorly-developed retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) due to the lack of melanin. The retinal pigment epithelium ( RPE) is the Pigmented cell layer just outside the neurosensory Retina that nourishes retinal visual cells and is firmly This degenerate RPE causes foveal hypoplasia (a failure in the development of normal foveae), which results in eccentric fixation and lower visual acuity, and often a minor level of strabismus. Hypoplasia is underdevelopment or incomplete development of a tissue or organ The fovea, also known as the fovea centralis, is a part of the Eye, located in the center of the Macula region of the Retina. Nystagmus is usually seen, as is photophobia or light sensitivity (see below). Photophobia is a Symptom of excessive sensitivity to Light and the aversion to Sunlight or well-lit places

The iris is a sphincter with pigmented tissue (which makes up the color of the eyes) that contracts to limit the amount of light that can enter through the pupil and relaxes again to allow for better vision in darkness. The iris consists of Pigmented Fibrovascular tissue known as a stroma. A sphincter is a structure usually a circular Muscle, that normally maintains constriction of a natural body passage or orifice and which relaxes as required by normal physiological This mechanism can be observed in humans and mammals (like in cat's eyes) and is needed because too much light is uncomfortable or even painful and decreases vision. In people with albinism, the iris does not have enough pigment to block the light, thus the decrease of pupil diameter is only partially successful in reducing the amount of light that enters the eye. . Additionally, the improper development of the RPE, which in normal eyes absorbs most of the reflected sunlight, further increases glare due to light scattering within the eye. ^[14] The resulting sensitivity (photophobia) generally leads to a dislike of and discomfort in bright light, but does not prevent people with albinism enjoying the outdoors, especially when using sunglasses and/or brimmed hats. ^[3]

The lack of pigment also makes the skin unusually sensitive to sunlight and thus susceptible to sunburn, so people with albinism should either avoid prolonged exposure to bright sunlight or protect their skin. A sunburn is a burn to living tissue such as Skin produced by overexposure to Ultraviolet (UV radiation commonly from the Sun 's rays

Treatment of the symptoms

Albinism is a condition that cannot be "cured" per se, but small things can be done to improve the quality of life for those affected. Most importantly to improve vision, protect the eyes from bright lights, and avoid skin damage from sunlight. The extent and success rate of these measures depend on the type of albinism and severity of the symptoms; in particular, people with ocular albinism are likely to have normally-pigmented skin, and thus do not need to take special precautions against skin damage.

Surgical treatment

For the most part, treatment of the eye conditions consists of visual rehabilitation. Surgery is possible on the ocular muscles to decrease nystagmus, strabismus and common refractive errors like astigmatism. Nystagmus is a type of eye movement characterized by alternating slow phase movements in one direction and Saccade -like quick phases in the other direction Strabismus (from Greek: στραβισμός strabismos, from στραβίζειν strabizein "to squint" from στραβός strabos Astigmatism is an optical defect whereby vision is blurred due to the inability of the optics of the eye to focus a point object into a sharp focused image on the retina Strabismus surgery may improve the appearance of the eyes. Nystagmus-damping surgery can also be performed, to reduce the "shaking" of the eyes back and forth. Nystagmus is a type of eye movement characterized by alternating slow phase movements in one direction and Saccade -like quick phases in the other direction ^[15] The effectiveness of all these procedures varies greatly and depends on individual circumstances. More importantly, since surgery will not restore a normal RPE or foveae, surgery will not provide fine binocular vision. In the case of esotropia (the "crossed eyes" form of strabismus), surgery may help vision by expanding the visual field (the area that the eyes can see while looking at one point). Esotropia is a form of Strabismus, or "squint" in which one or both Eyes turns inward The term visual field is sometimes used as a Synonym to Field of view, though they do not designate the same thing

Vision aids

Glasses and other vision aids, large-print materials and closed captioning, as well as bright but angled reading lights, can help individuals with albinism, even though their vision cannot be corrected completely. Glasses, also called eyeglasses or spectacles, are frames bearing lenses worn in front of the Eyes normally for vision correction, Large-print (also large-type or large-font) describes a type of book or other (paper online or otherwise published material in which the Typeface (or Closed captioning is a term describing several systems developed to display text on a Television or Video screen to provide additional or interpretive Some albinistic people do well using bifocals (with a strong reading lens), prescription reading glasses, and/or hand-held devices such as magnifiers or monoculars. Bifocals are Eyeglasses whose Corrective lenses each contain regions with two distinct Optical powers Bifocals are most commonly prescribed to people with magnifying glass (called a hand lens in laboratory contexts is a convex lens which is used to produce a magnified Image of an object A monocular is a modified Refracting telescope used to Magnify the images of distant objects by passing light through a series of lenses and prisms ^[3] Contact lenses may be colored to block light transmission through the iris. A contact lens (also known simply as a contact) is a corrective, cosmetic, or therapeutic lens usually placed on the Cornea Some use bioptics, glasses which have small telescopes mounted on, in, or behind their regular lenses, so that they can look through either the regular lens or the telescope. Newer designs of bioptics use smaller light-weight lenses. Some US states allow the use of bioptic telescopes for driving motor vehicles. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the (See also NOAH bulletin "Low Vision Aids". )

Although still disputed among the experts, many ophthalmologists recommend the use of glasses from early childhood onward to allow the eyes the best development possible. Ophthalmology is the branch of Medicine which deals with the diseases and surgery of the visual pathways including the Eye, Brain

Optometrists or ophthalmologists who are experienced in working with low vision patients can recommend various optical aids. Optometry is a health care profession concerned with Eyes and related structures as well as vision, Visual systems and vision information Low vision is a subspecialty within the professions of Optometry and Ophthalmology and Opticianry dealing with individuals who have less than normal vision Some low-vision clinics provide these aids on trial loan, with instruction in their use.

Sun protection

It is vital that people with albinism use sunscreen when exposed to sunlight to prevent premature skin aging or skin cancer. Skin cancer is a Malignant growth on the Skin which can have many causes This poses a problem for those who cannot afford sunscreen, especially in regions with high exposure to sunlight, as in Africa. Sunscreen (also known as sunblock or suntan lotion) is a Lotion, spray or other Topical product that absorbs or reflects the Sun 's

Use of sunglasses and hats with wide brims can make the glare outside bearable. Sunglasses or sun glasses are a visual aid variously termed Spectacles or Glasses, which feature lenses that are coloured or darkened to prevent strong Other things that can help people with albinism are avoiding sudden changes of the lighting situation (switching the light on in complete darkness), using dimmable switches and adding tint to car windows or blinds to normal windows. Lights should be yellowish rather than blue and not point towards the usual position of a person with albinism (like their seat at a table).

Misconceptions

While some of the very rare albinism disorders that are coupled with deafness and immunodeficiency appear to be linked with inbreeding,^[2] the vast majority of sufferers of common albinism are not the product of such unions; the more usual albinism genes are widespread enough that they can easily produce albinistic offspring from parents that are not related.

A common misconception is that albinistic individuals of a species are sterile; they are in fact fully capable of reproducing. It is also thought by many that people with albinism live short life spans. This is not true in general, but may be a distorted view of a more reasonable fact that people with albinism have a higher risk of skin cancer if they do not use proper skin protection when in the sun. (Some very rare variants of albinism are lethal by adulthood or sooner, but they are so little-known by the general public that they are unlikely to have contributed to this belief. )

It has also been misunderstood that a person or other animal with albinism will become blind halfway through life; this is incorrect.

Culture

Zāl (Persian: زال) an Iranian Knight, who is perhaps the most famous Iranian with albinism. Zāl (زال in Persian) is a legendary Persian warrior from the old Persian "The Book of Kings" or He is mentioned in "The Book of Kings" or Shahnameh as a warrior of ancient Persia (current Iran). The Books of Kings ( Sefer Melachim, ספר מלכים are a part of Judaism 's Tanakh, the Hebrew Bible. Shāhnāmé, or Shāhnāma ((alternative spellings are Shahnama Shahnameh Shahname Shah-Nama, etc He was born with white hair, therefore, his parents called him Zāl. In Persian (Farsi) Zaall refers to those who suffer from albinism. Zāl was the son of Sām and the grandson of Nariman, both heroes of ancient Iran and protectors of Motherland Iran or "Iran-zamin. " Because of his defect, Zāl was rejected by his father. He was left when only an infant; upon Mountain Damavand, which has the highest geographic peak in Iran. The mythical Simurgh (a very large and wise bird which darkens the sky when flying - has been said that Phoenix in Western literature is a replication of this bird) found the baby and took him to her nest, where Zāl lived until being reunited with his family. Soon after rejoining his family, Zāl married Rudaba; their child was the greatest Iranian hero, Rostam. The mighty and wise Simurgh gave Zāl three feathers to burn when in trouble. She would appear as soon as the feathers were lit.

While on the physical side, humans with albinism commonly have vision problems and need sun protection, they also face a social challenge, as the condition is often a source of ridicule, discrimination or even fear. Afro-Brazilian, or Black Brazilian, is the term used to racially categorize Brazilian citizens who are black or Multiracial Bahia (baˈia is one of the 26 States of Brazil, and is located in the northeastern part of the country on the Atlantic coast Due to albinism's effect on one's outward appearance, cultures around the world have developed many superstitions regarding people with albinism, who are believed by some to have magical powers or to be able to tell the future, a common theme in fiction as well (see Albinism in popular culture for examples). Magic, sometimes known as sorcery, is a Conceptual system that asserts human ability to control the natural world (including events objects people and The depiction of albinism in popular culture, especially the portrayal of people with Albinism in Film and Fiction, has been asserted by albinism organizations For example, in Zimbabwe, modern folklore posits that sexual intercourse with an albinistic person will cure one of HIV, leading to the rape (and subsequent HIV infection) of women with albinism in that region. See also Great Zimbabwe National Monument. For information about the March and June 2008 presidential elections see Zimbabwean presidential election History The concept of folklore developed as part of the 19th century ideology of Romantic nationalism, leading to the reshaping of oral traditions to serve modern ideological Human immunodeficiency virus ( HIV) is a Lentivirus (a member of the Retrovirus family that can lead to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome Rape, also referred to as Sexual assault, is an Assault by a person involving Sexual intercourse with or Sexual penetration of another person ^[16] In Tanzania in 2008, President Kikwete publicly condemned witchdoctors for killing albinos for their body parts which are thought to bring good luck. Tanzania ˌtænzəˈniːə officially the United Republic of Tanzania (Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete (born October 7 1950) is a Tanzanian politician and current President of the United Republic of Tanzania A witch doctor often refers to Healers in Third world regions who use traditional healing rather than Science or developed Medicine. 19 albinos had been murdered between March 2007 and April 2008^[17]. In Jamaica, people with albinism were historically degraded, and regarded as "cursed". Jamaica (ˈdʒəˈmeɪkə} is an Island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length and as much as in width situated in the Caribbean Sea. A curse (also called execration) is any manner of Adversity thought to be inflicted by any supernatural power (such as a spell, a Prayer, an A long-standing American urban legend is that of alleged "albino colonies" in rural New Jersey. An urban legend or urban myth is a form of modern Folklore consisting of stories thought to be factual by those circulating them New Jersey ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States.

Portrayals of people with albinism in literature and films are rarely positive. Literature is the Art of written works Literally translated the word means "acquaintance with letters" (from Latin littera letter This fact is sometimes referred to as the "evil albino" stereotype, or albino bias. While this stereotype is common, in recent years a few more positive roles have also been cast for mock-albino actors and occasionally genuinely albinistic ones.

A number of real people with albinism have become famous, including historical figures such as Emperor Seinei of Japan, and Oxford don William Archibald Spooner; actor/comedian Victor Varnado; musicians such as Johnny and Edgar Winter, Winston "King Yellowman" Foster, Brother Ali, and Willie "Piano Red" Perryman; even a fashion model, Connie Chiu. or rather Shiraka no okimi was the 22nd emperor of Japan The University of Oxford (informally "Oxford University" or simply "Oxford" located in the city of Oxford, Oxfordshire, England is the William Archibald Spooner ( July 22, 1844 &ndash August 29, 1930) was a famous Oxford don after whom is named a linguistic Victor Varnado is an American Standup comedian and Actor, born in Gary Indiana on May 15, 1969. John Dawson "Johnny" Winter III (born on 23 February, 1944 in Beaumont Texas, USA is an American Blues guitarist Edgar Holland Winter (born December 28, 1946 in Beaumont Texas) is an American musician who had significant success in the 1970s and 1980s Yellowman (born Winston Foster in Negril, Jamaica in 1959 is a Jamaican Reggae (rub-a-dub and Dancehall Deejay, widely Brother Ali (born Jason Newman, now Ali Newman) is an American hip hop artist William "Willie" Lee Perryman ( October 19 1911 - July 25 1985) who was usually known professionally as Piano Red and later Connie Chiu (born 1969 is a Chinese albinistic Fashion model.

There have also been some well-known albino animals, including Migaloo, a whale off the coast of Australia; Copito de Nieve (Little Snowflake in Spanish) a Barcelona Zoo gorilla; Snowdrop, a Bristol Zoo penguin; and the sperm whale Mocha Dick, the inspiration for Herman Melville's novel Moby-Dick. The humpback whale ( Megaptera novaeangliae) is a Baleen Whale. Bristol Zoo is a Zoo in the city of Bristol in South West England. Mocha Dick was a notorious male Sperm whale that lived in the Pacific Ocean in the early 19th century usually encountered in the waters near the island of Mocha Moby-Dick is an 1851 Novel by Herman Melville. The story tells the adventures of the wandering sailor Ishmael and his voyage on the whaleship

Main article: Albinism in popular culture

See also

• Leucism, a condition similar to albinism in animals, characterized by reduced pigmentation in general
• Melanism (or melanosis), unusually dark melanin pigmentation
• Xanthochromism, unusually yellow pigmentation
• Vitiligo (or leukoderma), the patchy loss of skin pigmentation
• Albinism in popular culture
• Albinism in birds
• List of Mendelian traits in humans
• Ukerewe Island

References

External links

Albinism in humans

Albinism support organizations

• Positive Exposure—Non-profit organization founded by photographer Rick Guidotti, "dedicated to celebrating the spirit of difference". Focuses on genetic conditions, especially albinism.
• Hermansky-Pudlak Syndrome Network (US-based)
• NOAH—National Organization for Albinism and Hypopigmentation (USA); also has an online support group
• International Albinism Center (research project based at the University of Minnesota, USA)
• Albinism Fellowship (UK and Ireland)
• AFA—Albinism Fellowship of Australia
• Albino Alliance A support group/forum for people living with albinism in Australia
• TAF—The Albino Foundation (Nigeria & USA)
• ALBA—Asociación de Ayuda a Personas con Albinismo [Aid Association to Persons with Albinism] (Spain) (Spanish)
• OLA—Organización Latinoamericana de Albinismo [Latin-American Albinism Organization] (Mexico) (Spanish)
• Albinizm.ru community site (Russian)
• Parent of a Child with Albinism Information based on a parent's personal experiences in having a child with albinism.

Other

• "The Golden Child: People of African Ancestry with Albinism"
• Portraits of people with albinism by Pieter Hugo

Albinism in animals

• Albino and white mammals and birds
• Albino frogs
• Albino tiger barb fish
• Albino catfish (Corydoras paleatus)
• Albino squirrels
• Albino redfoot tortoise (Geochelone carbonaria)

Corydoras paleatus is a species of Catfish ( order Siluriformes of the family Callichthyidae. The Red-footed tortoise ( Geochelone carbonaria) (known in Brazil as Jabuti) is a tortoise native to South America and popular as a pet

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