Radiologist Dr Saad, who accompanied the Express team, opined that the disease could have been a result of inter-marriages in the family. PHOTO: FILE
A family of eight, living in Goth Niaz Malah of Sindh, is suffering from a rare disease. Small blisters appear on the hands and feet, gradually affecting the eye. The patient, eventually, loses the eyesight, fingers and toes.
Talking to the Express News, the family said that the babies are normal at birth, and the symptoms appear by the age of seven.
An affected family member, Abdul Majeed, complained that despite repeated attempts to seek help he could not meet the officer concerned as “the officer’s peon turns me away at the door every time, telling me that my feet would infect the office carpet.”
Radiologist Dr Saad, who accompanied the Express team, opined that the disease could have been a result of inter-marriages in the family. He added that the condition was a genetic problem and continued to pass on to generations.
Chairman of the Pakistan Relief Foundation Haleem Adil Shaikh lamented that the health department failed to help the family.
“The health department officials could have used the zakat or other charity funds to help the affected families,” he added. “At least, the officials should have visited them, examined them and provided them with some sort of treatment.”
Published in The Express Tribune, December 19th, 2013.
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@asim: Epidermolysis bullosa is a group of genetic conditions that cause the skin to be very fragile and to blister ... and eye inflammation leading to vision loss.
Environmental or virus induced will not only be limited to 8 kids in one family only.
@Ali: What are you trying to say?
@Rumormonger: THERE MAY NOT BE ANY TESTS THAT CAN BE DONE IN THIS CASE.
I JUST FOUND THIS ON INTERNET.
Epidermolysis bullosa is a group of genetic conditions that cause the skin to be very fragile and to blister easily. Blisters and skin erosions form in response to minor injury or friction, such as rubbing or scratching. Dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (DEB) is one of the major forms of epidermolysis bullosa. The signs and symptoms of this condition vary widely among affected individuals. In mild cases, blistering may primarily affect the hands, feet, knees, and elbows. Severe cases of this condition involve widespread blistering that can lead to vision loss, disfigurement, and other serious medical problems.
Blisters doesn't sound like genetic. Could be an acquired virus or environmental chemical-induced malignancy.
Decades of inter-cousin marriage is making people of Pakistan less in average IQ.
First cousin marriages should be avoided at all costs. Its common in the subcontinent to keep the family property in the family itself. Over 2-3 generations , such unions lead to malformed babies.