Half Man, Half Tree

        Indonesia's Dede Kosawa, "Treeman", whose body is covered in tree-like warts, is getting better, but he has a long way to go before he is free of the chronic HPV-2 virus that has taken over his body.

        It has been about a year and a half since an initial visit to Indonesia with the Discovery Channel to consult on the case with Dede. Anthony Gaspari, M.D., U.S. dermatologist, says that Dede has had extensive medical care. He has been in the hospital for nine (9) months and was treated for tuberculosis in the lung. He was discharged from the hospital in September. Dede Kosawa has been through a lot of surgery to cut off most of the warts and growths on his hands.

        In June 2007, Discovery Channel invited Dr. Gaspari to travel to Indonesia to consult with Dede's case. Dr. Gaspari diagnosed him with the common wart virus, but because Dede also has immunodeficiency, a genetic flaw, the HVP-2 spread through out his body.

        In March 2008, Dr. Gaspari returned to Indonesia again as a consultant on the case. He found out that 14% of Dede's body weight was dead, coetaneous horns. That is a lot of weight for such a small man.

        The dermatologist says the horns will grow back, but to lessen the burden Dr. Gaspari recommended that the dermatologist use salicylic acid to keep the tissue soft and at bay.

        The doctors tried to treat Dede with acitretin, but it was unsuccessful. The synthetic slowed the growths, but it didn't flatten them.

        In September, with the help of Dr.Gaspari, the Indonesian doctors started Dede on cidofovir. With the help of Gilead Sciences, Foster City, California. Dede got the help that he needed.

            For more information please click: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/1569156/Tree-man-'who-grew-roots'-may-be-cured.html