Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB) is a family of life-threatening rare genetic disorders that affect the body's largest organ: the skin.

Individuals with EB lack critical proteins that bind the skin's two layers together. Without these proteins, the skin tears apart, blisters, and shears off, leading to severe pain, disfigurement, and internal and external wounds that may never heal.

Today, there is no cure available for EB. EBRP Australia is dedicated to changing that.

Types of EB

There are four main types of EB that vary in severity and the location of blister formation. In the more severe forms of EB, life expectancy ranges from early infancy to just 30 years of age.

Watch below to learn more about each type and meet an individual living with it.

Text reading "Junctional EB (JEB)" on a purple background.

Text reading "Dystrophic EB (DEB)" on a pink background.

Blue background with white text reading 'Kindler Syndrome.'

Heredity Of EB

Genetic disorders, like EB, are usually passed down from parents to offspring, although they are rarely caused by a spontaneous DNA mutation. EBS and DDEB are passed down through dominant inheritance. This means only one copy of the mutated gene, from either the mother or father, is needed for a child to express the disorder. RDEB, JEB, and Kindler Syndrome are all passed down through recessive inheritance.

This means that a child needs to get 2 copies of the mutated gene, one from each parent, to express the disease. Children can also be carriers of the gene, which means they’re able to pass it down to their children, but do not express the disorder.

Diagram illustrating dominant inheritance pattern, showing affected and unaffected parents, with children having a 50% chance of being affected or unaffected. Includes text labels for EB simplex and dystrophic EB. Background is pink.

Diagram illustrating recessive inheritance for conditions like Recessive Dystrophic EB, Junctional EB, and Kindler Syndrome. Two carrier parents are shown at the top, with a chart indicating genetic outcomes for offspring: 25% affected, 50% carriers, and 25% unaffected.

SOURCES

“Epidermolysis Bullosa Simplex – Genetics Home Reference – NIH.” U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, 2018

“Junctional Epidermolysis Bullosa – Genetics Home Reference – NIH.” U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, 2018

“Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa – Genetics Home Reference – NIH.” U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, 2018

“Kindler Syndrome – Genetics Home Reference – NIH.” U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, 2018

“Dominant Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa.” Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Yancey, Kim B., and Helmut Hintner. “Non-herlitz junctional epidermolysis bullosa.” Dermatologic clinics 28.1 (2010): 67-77.