Prevalence and Population Genetics of Albinism: Surveys in Zimbabwe, Namibia, and Tanzania

Abstract Analysis of nationwide data recording the number of people with albinism in three African countries showed a high frequency in each. The 2011 population census in Namibia revealed the highest prevalence at 1 in 1755, compared with 1 in 2673 in the 2012 census in Tanzania and 1 in 4182 in a survey of schoolchildren in Zimbabwe. The expected sex parity was observed in Zimbabwe and Namibia but not in Tanzania where there were significantly more affected males than affected females, especially in young age groups. This unexpected finding requires urgent further investigation. Significant regional and rural–urban differences were present in each country. Models from population genetics can make important contributions to assessing the possible causes of these differences. The results highlight the importance of analyzing large data sets statistically to provide realistic and detailed prevalence data to inform policy and advocacy.