A rare disease known as “tree man syndrome” has been making headlines in recent years. Medically known as epidermodysplasia verruciformis (EV), it causes wood-like lesions to grow on the skin.
One victim, Mahmoud Taluli, a 44-year-old man from Gaza, has been battling EV for over a decade, preventing him from using his hands. After undergoing multiple surgeries, a pioneering treatment at Jerusalem’s Hadassah Medical Center has given him hope.
Understanding EV, or “tree man syndrome”
EV is a rare genetic disease characterized by chronic human papillomavirus (HPV) infection that leads to skin lesions and an increased risk of non-melanoma skin cancer.
“After years of suffering and solitude, I can finally live a normal life,” said Taluli.
In Bangladesh, a young man named Abul Bajandar is also suffering from the same disease and has expressed a desire to amputate his hands.
Mahmoud Taluli’s recovery
Multiple surgeries have been performed on Taluli to remove wood-like lesions, and skin grafts have been required for the deep incisions. Despite the challenges, the treatments have saved his hands, allowing him to use them normally after ten years.
The healing process
Doctors are attempting to map Taluli’s genome to understand his unique genetic mutation and develop an immunological-based treatment specific to his immune system.
“The surgery has completely changed my life,” he wrote NPR. “I can play with my children. I can go to family events. I no longer need to cover my hands when I go out in public.”
