"Polygamist community faces rare genetic disorder"

"The twin border communities of Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City, Arizona, have the world's highest known prevalence of fumarase deficiency, an enzyme irregularity that causes severe mental retardation brought on by cousin marriage, doctors say.

"Arizona has about half the world's population of known fumarase deficiency patients," said Dr. Theodore Tarby, a pediatric neurologist who has treated many of the children at Arizona clinics under contracts with the state.
...

Since then, increasing numbers of children in the community have been stricken with the disease, which causes unusual facial features, frequent epileptic seizures, episodes of coma and possibly early death.
...

Tarby met with about 150 FLDS members in November, explaining that the disorder was not caused by tainted drinking water as rumored but by cousin marriage."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070614/us_nm/usa_mormons_genes_dc;_ylt=AvnVNVpwxMq8cM9pekvtBAMDW7oF

It IS inbreeding.

Seriously, it is very sad. Gene pools are meant to be stirred. A stagnant pool is a slow, painful killer.

communities in the US and Israel. Often they marry only within their sect of Satmar Hasidim or whatever their branch of haredi Judaism.

Tay Sachs...

A and B types of Neimann-Pick Disease that have a higher incidence in Ashkenazi Jews, compared to the general population.

Tay-Sachs disease, the most well known Jewish genetic disease, is an inherited metabolic disorder. The basic defect in affected children is the deficiency of an enzyme, hexosaminidase A.

Although all ethnic groups may develop the disease Ulcerative Colitis, it is most prevalent among people of Jewish descent. Risk factors include a family history of ulcerative colitis or Jewish ancestry. The incidence is 5 out of 10,000 people.

In addition to individual variability, Gaucher Disease occurs in three major types. The most common type (Type 1) is known as "acid beta-glucosidase deficiency" or "non-cerebral juvenile type." The gene responsible for this type has been mapped to chromosome 1, and it is Type I that has a high prevalence among Ashkenazi Jews; Only 30% of people who have this type of disease will show symptoms.

They have uncles breeding with nieces, cases of fathers (NOT just stepfathers) breeding with daughters. It's sickening. Cousin marriage is probably the least of their genetic worries.

I would jump off a cliff.

:(
We have quite a few Mennonite communities in our areas who have migrated here from Mexico. Quite a few of the mothers are RH negative
who didn't receive Rhogam. The babies that survive to these mothers are sensitized and have incredibly high bilirubin levels present from within hours of birth (highly unusual).
I am not sure how the intermarriage plays into this and as far as I know, there aren't any studies out there, but it is certainly devastating for these babies.

Perhaps the people really believe it is tainted river water, but it doesn't change the outcome.

I read this article recently http://news.aol.com/topnews/articles/_a/blue-lights-save-lives-in-stricken/20070520135709990001 but it didn't say anything specific about RH negative mothers and refusal of Rhogam shots.

but the unavailability of it in the Mexican villages they came from that caused them to be sensitized.
The article is talking about a particular disorder but it is treated the same way with the lights (phototherapy).
Generally speaking...no matter how high the bilirubin is...phototherapy ceases to be effective after 8 or so days in uncomplicated cases of newborn jaundice.
HOWEVER, it wouldn't surprise me if they aren't linked somehow because it is spectacular to see babies that are hours old start getting jaundice.

(sort of, since I don't have any sort of medical background)

I think it comes from father and daughter and aunt and uncle marriage.

that the "dueling banjos" kid had?

Our ancestors knew what they were doing...