'Tree Man' Has Surgery: What Causes This Rare Condition?

Abul Bajandar, often known as the "tree man," had intensive, wood-like warts on his palms.

Credit score: Discovery/Barcroft Productions

A 27-year-old man in Bangladesh often known as the "tree man" just lately underwent surgical procedure to take away the intensive, wood-like warts that coated his palms and ft. However what causes this uncommon illness?

Over the previous yr, the person, Abul Bajandar, has undergone 16 surgical procedures to take away 11 lbs. (5 kilograms) of the bizarre growths from his palms and ft, in accordance toAgence France-Presse (AFP).

Previous to the surgical procedure, the growths had been so intensive that Bajandar couldn't feed himself or maintain his daughter.

"Now I really feel so a lot better; I can maintain my daughter in my lap and play along with her," Bajandar informed AFP.  [27 Oddest Medical Cases]

Bajandar has a uncommon genetic situation referred to as epidermodysplasia verruciformis, based on information reviews. Individuals with this situation are extra prone to human papillomavirus (HPV)infections of their pores and skin, based on a 2010 report of the situation.

In individuals with this situation, HPV infections result in the formation of wart-like pores and skin lesions, which progress to malignant tumors in about 50 p.c of sufferers, the report mentioned. In individuals with out this situation, infections with the identical HPV strains might not trigger any signs, based on Medscape.

Individuals with epidermodysplasia verruciformis usually have mutations in two genes, referred to as EVER1 and EVER2. It isn't precisely clear how these gene mutations result in the situation, however it's thought that these mutations make the physique much less in a position to beat back HPV infections.

Bajandar's warts first appeared on his palms and ft when he was in his teenagers, and the growths started to multiply quickly in his early 20s, based on The Washington Put up.

In 2016, medical doctors at Dhaka Medical School and Hospital in Bangladesh carried out the 16 surgical procedures, and Bajandar is anticipated to depart the hospital throughout the subsequent 30 days, based on the AFP report.

It isn't clear if Bajandar is cured of his situation; his warts might develop again, the AFP report mentioned.

At present, there isn't any definitive treatment for epidermodysplasia verruciformis, based on the 2010 paper.

"Discovering methods to deal with pores and skin lesions in epidermodysplasia verruciformis sufferers is a continuing battle," the paper mentioned.

Along with surgical procedure, therapy can embrace medicine referred to as retinoids, which might curb cell progress and are typically used to deal with pores and skin circumstances; and interferon, a protein produced by the physique to battle viruses.

Nonetheless, "although there are a plethora of [treatment] choices, none appear to be healing, and lesions often recur after therapy cessation," the paper mentioned.

Authentic article on Reside Science.

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