Melungeon Health Issues
by Nancy Sparks Morrison
April/May 2001
I am not a doctor. I can neither diagnose nor prescribe. I am a lay person, who because of my own personal health problems, has done extensive research on some Mediterranean illnesses which seem to run throughout my Melungeon connected families. The information that I am providing here is to be used for educational purposes only. It should not be used for diagnostic or treatment purposes.
Here is an overview of the five major medical problems that some Melungeon descendants inherit.
MAY AFFECT MELUNGEON DESCENDANTS
Joseph’s Disease/Machado-Joseph’s is a disorder of the central nervous system with slow degeneration of particular areas of the brain. Lurching gait, difficulty in speaking, muscle rigidity, impairment of eye movement, are involved. Mental alertness and intellect are preserved. Joseph’s disease is inherited through autosomal dominant mode of transmission, which means that it takes only one parent with the marker for you to have a 50% chance of inheriting the disease. Type I, begins about age 20 years, Type II, about 30 years and Type III, Machado’s after 40 years. This disease is very similar to Parkinson’s Disease. Medicines are L-dopa and baclofen.
A research nucleus has been formed in Toronto, Canada to further the research of this disease that has afflicted many Portuguese as well as Melungeons. The incidence of M-J among Portuguese from the Azores Islands, as well as the Continent, is large. Machado-Joseph disease was discovered in the United States in 1972. The gene responsible for the disease was identified in 1994 and it is now possible to detect it before birth.
The name of this group is “The Friends of Machado-Joseph Disease Nucleus”. The University of Porto in Portugal is developing a world data base for the Machado-Joseph Disease. Anyone suffering from this disease may participate. For further information visit their web site.
FAMILIAL MEDITERRANEAN FEVER is a hereditary genetically restricted disease commonly found among Jews originating from North African countries, Armenians, Turks and Arabs. Closely following the pattern of autosomal recessive inheritance (both parents must carry a recessive gene) , FMF is recognized by two independent manifestations: 1.) acute, short-lived painful, bouts of stomach pain, (may be followed by diarrhea); pleuritis, an inflammation of the lining of the body cavities, and/or some of its internal organs, which in its acute stage may produce, stabbing pain in the side or affected cavity, possible fever of 101-103 degrees, similar to gallbladder/kidney stone attacks/inflammation, and short, dry cough and body pain similar to arthritis and fibromyalgia and 2.) nephropathic amyloidosis, which can lead to terminal renal failure even at a young age. In half of the people this disease appears before age ten. The gene for FMF is located on the short arm of chromosome 16, yet the exact nature of the disease remains unclear. Foggy-headedness (inability to think clearly) may also be a part of the symptoms because of inflammation of the brain lining which causes the brain to swell. Fatigue (severe) can also be a problem. Infertility and pregnancy loss in women with FMF is much more common than it is in the general population.
The identification of FMF is based on clinical findings, family history, physical examination and laboratory results obtained from patients experiencing attacks. No specific diagnostic test is available. There are four gene mutations that cause FMF. The genes have been identified and this should lead to the development of a blood test to identify the disease in people. Amyloidosis affects most untreated FMF patients. In its early stage it can be recognized by protein in the urine.
The medicine colchicine which comes from a plant that grows in the Mediterranean and is also used to treat gout is effective in controlling this disease. Colchicine treatment was first introduced in 1973 and in a dose of 1-2 mg/day on a continuous basis, has been found to prevent attacks in most patients and amyloidosis in all patients. Colchicine treatment has been shown to be safe and entirely suitable for FMF patients. Many FMF patients appear to be getting diagnoses of fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. You can read about my Personal Experiences with FMF by clicking here.
SARCOIDOSIS is a disorder which affects many body systems. It is characterized by small round lesions of granulation tissue. The ones I have seen are about the size of a quarter and flat. Symptoms may vary with the severity of the disease. Fever, weight loss, joint pain, with liver involvement and enlarged lymph nodes are common. Cough and difficulty in breathing may occur. Skin disease marked by tender red nodules with fever and joint pain is a frequent manifestation. Onset is usually between 20 and 40 years. For more information visit: NSRC-GLOBAL, the Sarcoidosis Center, the Sarcoidosis Home Page and So What is Sarcoidosis?
THALASSEMIA, Thalassemia is a rare blood disorder. There is not just one disease called Thalassemia, but several of them. All are chronic, inherited forms of anemia that affect an estimated 6 percent of the world’s population. These illnesses are among the most common inherited illnesses and are particularly common in people of Mediterranean, African, Southeast Asian and Chinese ancestry. Patients with Thalassemia don’t produce enough red blood cells and cannot properly utilize iron. Some forms of the illness are mild, others are life-threatening.
Thalassemia major, also called Cooley’s Anemia after the doctor who identified the illness in the 1920s, is the most severe. Thalassemia major is a rare blood disorder characterized by a marked increase in F hemoglobin and a decrease in the production of certain oxygen carrying proteins in red blood cells. It is the most severe form of the chronic familial anemias that result from the premature destruction of red blood cells. Cooley’s anemia patients often die of heart failure or other complications in their 20s or 30s. Although they usually appear fine at birth, children with Cooley’s anemia eventually develop symptoms such as fatigue, slow growth patterns, shortness of breath, jaundice, spleen enlargement and bone deformities.
Another type of Thalassemia is designated Alpha Thalassemia. Some people do not produce enough alpha protein which causes them to have alpha-thalassemia. It is commonly found in Africa, the Middle East, India, Southeast Asia, southern China, and occasionally the Mediterranean region. There are seven types of alpha thalassemias that range from mild to severe in their effect on the body.
Some people who do not produce enough beta protein have Beta-Thalassemia. It is found in people of Mediterranean descent; such as Italians and Greeks, and is also found in the Arabian Peninsula, Iran, Africa, Southeast Asia, and southern China. There are three types of beta-thalassemia that also range from mild to severe in their effects on the body.
In addition to the thalassemias mentioned above, there are other related disorders that occur when the abnormal gene for alpha or beta-thalassemia combines with another abnormal or mutant globulin gene.
In E. Beta Thalassemia, there is a hemoglobin E which is one of the most common abnormal hemoglobins. It is usually found in people of Southeast Asian ancestry, such as Cambodians, Vietnamese and Thai. When combined with the beta thalassemia trait, Hemoglobin E produces E. Beta Thalassemia, a moderately severe anemia which has similar symptoms to Beta Thalassemia Intermedia.
There is also a Sickle Beta Thalassemia. Sickle Beta is caused by a combination of beta thalassemia trait and the Hemoglobin S trait, the abnormal hemoglobin found in people with Sickle Cell Disease. It is commonly found in people of Mediterranean ancestry, such as Italians, Greeks, Turks, and in people from the Caribbean. The severity of Sickle Beta varies according to the amount of normal beta globin produced by the beta gene. When there is no beta globin produced by the beta gene, the condition is almost identical with Sickle Cell Disease. The more beta globin produced by the beta gene, the less severe the condition.
To learn more about Thalassemia, see Stanley M. Diamond’s Web Site, Childrens Hospital, Oakland and The Cooley’s Anemia Foundation. Also, visit the Easy Diagnosis Health site to answer questions about your symptoms and get an instant analysis.
Copyright © 2001 Nancy Sparks Morrison. All rights reserved.
Nancy, send your e-mail address.
4/29/2004 7:35:42 AM
I’ve suffered with bouts of chronic pain in my joints, stomach pain that’s sent me to the hospital many times, lung infections ( I’m fighting to this day) all my life. I was diagnosed with degenerative bone disease/osteoporosis, fibromyalgia and bronchiectasis with ongoing infection (cystic fibrosis). Both my parents are descendants of Melungeon people’s. After doing a DNA test, finding SW Asian, Native American and Portuguese DNA,. As well as tracing my family not far back to: Lumbee, Cherokee and Cheraw Indians, who I found were tri-racial people’s with admixtures of Turks, Romni, Portuguese, Sub-Saharan African as well as Irish/English. Something told me to look back to my Ancestry for answers concerning my health issues. My great grandfather was definitely a person of color. I have his picture! But, these people oddly have hazel blue/green eyes, in which I inherited.
I’ve pointed out to my physician my concerns of hereditary illness who’s been treating me but he doesn’t seem to think it pertains to me. Sometimes I have better days without so much pain but when I have episodes, my quality of life is crippled. I don’t know what else to do. Is there a test I can take to test for these illnesses?
As do I all of the above.
Get a different doctor & see a specialist.
I’ve done research in my Ancestry as well as my uncle has too we are Melungeon and upon reading this I see most of my moms side that are Melungeon have Anemia , low blood counts , loose blood through small thin veins some factor 5 , I’ve had issues for years with anxiety disorders and low iron count , back and neck problems as well as stomach pains that they ended up removing gallbladder even though I found later was not needed , years ago diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, Degenerative Discs, Joints , Dr said auto immune issues etc I’ve dealt with large amts of pain all life and reading this will look into treatment with the Mediterranean Plant as like help .Family Names Mullens and Phillips. Contact me at mary46901@yahoo.com@yahoo.com
My interest is the occurrence of bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, or other mental illness among the Melungeon. I am aware that these have occured in my mother’s family line, which are about 50 percent Melungeon. If you know anything about this occurring among Melungeons, or if you know of someone who is Melungeon and has this kind of problem in their genealogy or family history, I would be interested in learning more about it. Thank you very much.
Sincerely,
Laura Sherfey
I’m Melungeon. Schizophrenia runs in my family line. My Mom’s sister / Aunt has it. My Brother has it. My Great Uncle was said to have had either Schizophrenia or something similar.
There is a genetic pre disposition to this illness in my family. All of the family have recessive genes whereas if they are not affected by full blown Schizophrenia we are highly suseptical to severe Anxiety and Depressive Disorders.
Schizophrenia also runs high among Jews. I’m am also Jewish.
I’m 100% Melungeon and my parents are and 3rd cousins as well, mental illness is common in both sides I myself have had several major episodes and hospitalized for it too.
Contact me at vg4sign@aol.com
It definitely runs in my mom side.
as a child I visited relatives in West Virginia. They were referred to as “hoopies”. My grandmother always told me of American Indian ancestry. The Ancestry DNA said I had “Ohio valley” ancestry. Does this sound like Melungeons?
Oh! You have some native ancestry and some of everything else also. My a fathers clan is from Danville, VA and my mother’s clan are Chesapeake waterman. We call ourselves Black Irish to this day. The ” M ” word is not cool to say around the family. We don’t have much to do with Anglos and the names they label us.
Nancy, I am not sure if you check this anymore, but I am of Sparks descent (southeastern KY), and I have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue but have symptoms that mirror FMF, and both my mother (Sparks) and I, along with my children, have symptoms that mirror ulcerative colitis (actually, my mother was recently diagnosed with it, and I was given a diagnosis of “irritable bowel” and “gastroparesis” although my symptoms mirror my mother’s 100%). I am curious to talk genetics and inherited diseases with you if you see this.
It definitely runs in my mom side.
I am schizophrenic. Several family members are. I am definitely melungeon from Pike CO. Kentucky. I have read that the Irish have a higher rate of mental illness than any other ethnicity.
I would like to ask do we, Melungeons, have higher IQs than than regular population?
I just recently began researching my family roots. I have been asking family members questions about our Melungeon roots. My fathers side of the family have a dark complexion and dark almost black slightly curly hair with these beautiful eyes. I was basically told that we don’t want to be associated with that “label”. No questions answered, topic dropped. So yeah, I’m guessing I have some Melungeon in me. Anxiety and depression run in family as well as rare weird illnesses.
My heredity:
I am the first person among all my blood relatives (on both sides) to be diagnosed with Behcet’s Disease at age 28 some 32 years ago – my Behcet’s being the complete form having at least eight of the related symptoms over the years; I’m negative for HLA-B51, which isn’t unusual outside the Silk Road. Lots of us have blue eyes likely from our Danish heritage. My blood relatives, other than mentioned below) also don’t have any known inflammatory rheumatic diseases. Where did that Behcet’s come from? I thought I was from Danish/Welch-English decent. However, my half-brother on my father’s side has beta-thalassemia, but our father was definitely full Danish; no info about his mother. My curly-haired (but blue-eyed) mother was from southwest Virginia in the Melungeon region, but I have no info about her father who died early of cancer. My daughter (only child), my sister, and her son have had flares of inflammatory arthritis with occasional oral ulcers; my daughter also has had skin ulcers and purpura. Hmmmm…..
I believe my mom has a version of Bechets-
Im very anemic & recently 8/21/22 had a HUGE tumor removed from my abdomen.
My grandma was from Hancock co/Lee co Va. She had kinky curly hair dark skin one blue eye one brown eye.
Thru DNA we have found she was Egyptian Levant Turk…African/European A lot of our illnesses lie in this dna i believe or a mixture thereof.
I have been diagnosed in 2015, with Wegener’s Disease. The doctors assembled a team of experts of different people, doctors.
Today my family identifies as black for generations, though I have been asked if I’m multiracial my entire life. My mother’s family is from Tennessee for 5 generations. DNA testing revealed mostly African ancestry, British and Irish, Native American and South Asian. I was diagnosed with Alpha Thalassemia Minor during pregnancy, as was my mother and eldest aunt in that family. My mother’s other sister died from sickle cell anemia. As many families, my 5 foot 1(also my height) white, Italian looking great great grandmother with straight black hair she could sit on claimed Native ancestry. And though my DNA does show a small amount of native ancestry, I was very surprised to learn that 19% of my DNA was European. Then I learned about the Melungeons and something feels very right about it. Along with my Alpha Thalassemia diagnosis, I also have other Melungeon traits including shovel teeth, the skull bump (Anatolia ridge), and olive toned complexion though I am dark skinned descendants of slaves as well. My great great maternal grandmother’s name was Caroline Burton and she legally married Sam Smith in 1886, 30 years after they started having children, when they finally found a court that no longer considered her to be a white woman since interracial marriages among whites and blacks had been illegal. I look forward to doing more research. Ty for sharing this article.
Michelle,
I am Melungeon decent and was reading your story. My family is from Tennessee and they are Burton’s. I have been trying for years to find info. About the Burton’s to no avail.
I would like very much to converse with you and perhaps we could find info.to help each other.
Beverly Hayes Hodges
Michelle,
I am Melungeon decent and was reading your story. My family is from Tennessee and they are Burton’s. I have been trying for years to find info. About the Burton’s to no avail.
I would like very much to converse with you and perhaps we could find info.to help each other.
Does anyone else suffer from pernicious anemia (inability to absorb b12) and so have ill formed red blood cells with insufficient oxygen? Three generations of my family have it.
I have issues absorbing vitamins and minerals in general. The more I learn about the Melungeon people, the more things make sense, both in certain traits and illnesses.
I do.
I have b12 deficiency and have to take b12 by injection once a month. I also have an issue absorbing vit D. I have osteoarthritis and IBS. I often suffer with bouts of fatigue and brain fog. I am a descendent of the Bunch and Collins melungeons.
I do. I’ve also had Vitamin D Deficiency my entire life along with just getting diagnosed with MTHFR. Seems to come from my mom’s family, and she was a Sparks/Rice.
Yes, and Scleroderma and many other issues. Have issue with Vitamin D and E also but able to supplement. If it helps I am not sure but got full genetic sequence and it shows. I have low platelets and rest of Red and White blood cells barely pass low levels.
I do, I have to take injections every week for the rest of my life. I also have been dealing with a very bad illness and my mother died from this unknown illness… I believe that I am inheriting the Melungeon DNA on both sides of my family. My father’s side was from Pike Co in Eastern Ky and his mother’s maiden name was Smith, my Fathers dad was a Maynard as well as my father. I’m not sure at the moment off the top of my head what the rest goes back to.
My Mother is from Tennessee, my mother’s father was a Sherrell, and I know the Thomas and Brown and Stover and Lafever and Presley (yes including Elvis) are all in the Lineage but I know I’m missing some names. I’ve always thought we looked very different but I thought it was just hard living back then. My mother’s mom and her grandmother and great uncle etc look more like this description than my mothers fathers side, also these same traits are present in both my fathers parents sides. Father and family has claimed to have Native American ancestors as well as Scottish/or Irish bit exactly sure but we know that both Hatfield and McCoy are there too. But yes I have pernicious anemia with intrinsic factor. But something more is going on….
Oh also I have Vascular Ehlers Danlos Syndrome which is also a genetic condition
Durham surname North Carolina and Kentucky Scottish ancestors along with mixture of french and some middle eastern. Some african American distant relatives. Looking for verification of Mulgegeon ancestory
Currently experiencing anemia had transfusion last year. Had canker sore removed from mouth when I ten. I am definitely melungeon a true heinz 57. I have had multiple dna done. My melungeon lines come from hawkins co tn. I am currently described as mixed connective tissue disease. Now diagnosed as undifferentiated been on plaquenil 6 years.
I Have been battling illness for the past decade but severely for the last 3 years.
My left kidney almost completely lost function; due to this & lack of decent knowledgeable medical care; my blood became infected (sepsis). Almost died-had to get IV antibiotics basically black marketed to me & ran in my living room.
Then last August i had a 13cmx 7cm necrotic tumor removed from my abdomen. it had been feeding on me until it became too large & we had a death match. Now i’m once again being diagnosed as severely anemic (iron level 3)… I was diagnosed with RA in 2010. recently diagnosed with heart palpitations on beta blockers. All this & no one will listen to me when i tell them I AM MELUNGEON- we aren’t like you. We don’t get the same illnesses-please help… still nada- Well, after my research im certain it’s sickle cell thalassemia… if anyone has any info please let me know-We will just handle it ourselves like usual💪🏽
I Understand your fight, my Kidney down also, and I have cysts on it. Have Scleroderma, RA, fibromyalgia, hearing and vision loss, and much more. Same problem with Doctors, they have me pegged as hypercondria but it feels like being ignored but they don’t know better. So I got dull genetic sequencing done to show them issues.
Melungeon isn’t a special breed or such, in fact it was started as a denigrating slang word, meaning worthless, mixed breed, Blacks and native breeds, all the peoples, the imported educated, English white man, considered “not as wholesome, with any God given goodness, as they were”. In other words, they were “Racist”, and still it is handed down through that hatefulness, unto their youth. But you all can take that mantel as a blessing and carry on.
Just found out we have Melungeon heritage. My grandmothers family came from over sea’s and to VA and migrated down into TN… My grandmothers family is from Rogersville TN area and Hamblen county is named after us. Definitely doing genetic testing. I was very Indian looking as a kid but at the age of around 12 I lost my color and was diagnosed anemic. I am deficient in Vitamin D and no matter how much I take it my levels really don’t rise much. I have been diagnosed with chronic fatigue, I have horrible joint pain, IBS etc. My mom’s Father is also from TN Brotherton to be exact – she didn’t know him but that is what we have gathered, so same region
Alzheimer’s/Dementia also runs in my family very strongly. I have also been told my protein was so low I was barely on their charts. I have had edema and other Inflammation for a long time since I was about 20. also have to take methylated B vitamins as regular Bs don’t absorb.
My gallbladder also has to be removed after I had my daughter.
I also have thyroid issues
I take large amounts of Vitamin D &D3
I have to take two different kinds of Thyroid meds
I take a vitamin to help with digestion
I am on a iron supplement as well
I have recently started taking Taurine and that is helping a ton with energy and sleep.
Methylated B vitamins
Eating high protein tends to help as well.
Anyone have any recommendations on where to start with testing I would be grateful for insight.