Epidermodysplasia VerruciformisBy: Ashish Kumar

INVESTIGATORY PROJECT

WORK

(BIOLOGY)

*ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

*

CERTIFICATE

CONTENTS

*Scientific Description*Epidermodysplasia Verruciformis, or EV, (colloquially known as

tree man illness) is a rare skin disorder that exposes patients to

the human papillomavirus (HPV) and cutaneous squamous cell

carcinomas. The disease is linked to chronic infection of HPV.

Skin eruptions of flat-to-papillomatous, wartlike lesions and

reddish-brown pigmented plaques on the trunk, the hands, the

upper and lower extremities, and the face. Malignant skin

tumors (carcinomas), usually squamous cell carcinoma, develop

on the patient with this disease.

*This disease causes warts and horns to

form on the hands, feet, and face.

They form due to exposure to the

human papillomavirus.(HPV)

*Symptoms*Thick visible warts all over the body

as well as on the inside of the skin.

*Flattened warty skin lesions.

*The skin becomes thick and hardened and as old skin dies new skin is created.

* Increased vulnerability to human papillomaviruses of the skin.

*The hands and feet, the extremities, are enlarged and it is difficult to use them.

*Skin looks like tree bark or tree roots, hence the name Tree-Man Disease.

*Causes

*Doctors have linked genetics to Epidermodysplasia

Verruciformis. Although this disease is rare, doctors say the

person inherits the disease from their parents or it “runs” in

the family. Another major cause of this disease is a horrible

immune system. This disease is found in countries that don’t

have the best of medical care.

*Is It Contagious?* It is important to understand that though images are quite

shocking, but the disease is not contagious. Doctors check

these people and their warts without an issue, and they have

already confirmed that no one can get infected just by

touching the person who has it.

Mutation is the process by which an organism’s DNA sequence is altered. In the

case of the sufferers of Tree Man Syndrome, mutation occurs in their EVER1 and

EVER2 genes on chromosome 17 which are responsible for regulating the

circulation of Zinc in the nucleus of cells. These genes prevent the entree of

viral proteins to cellular zinc stores resulting to their restricted growth. These

zinc stores are needed for the body’s immune system to function properly.

Hence, those affected by the ailment lack the ability to protect themselves from

certain bacteria or viruses which, in the case of tree man syndrome, are Human

Papillomavirus

*Cure for EV*There is no cure for Epidermodysplasia Verruciformis however

the warts can be surgically removed, but they do grow back.

*Try chemotherapy and other drugs prescribed by a doctor

*one case was treated with a combination of acitretin and

interferon alfa-2a.

*Direct radiation therapy to control the growth has led to

cancer in one patient.

*Scientists and doctors such as Dr. Anthony Gaspari, an

American dermatologist from the University of Maryland, are

currently studying three cases of Tree-Man Disease in the hope

of finding a genetic link that will lead to a cure of this disease.

*Worst Case Scenario

*The worst case scenario

for EV is that you are

not able to use your

hands or feet.

Depending on how bad

the case is the hands

and feet can become

very heavy and

uncomfortable due to

the warts. In Treeman’s

case, he will need two

surgeries every year to

keep them from growing

big again.

Before Surgery After Surgery

*FACTS

* It is one of the rarest genetic disease on earth.

*This disease can be linked to the mapping of chromosome 17.

*EV is usually diagnosed when the patient is between the

ages of 1 and 20.

*EV is more commonly found in countries with little medical

treatment available.

*This disease is not contagious means that this disease do not

spread simply by touching.

* It can be caused by a common sexually transmitted wart virus

infection.

**http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1131981-

overview

*http://www.rightdiagnosis.com/medical/epidermodyspl

asia_verruciformis.htm

*http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11464195

*Information was also pulled from the documentary

Tree-man: Search for the Cure that I found on youtube