Buzzin Bizarre

This is the story of Dede, a 35 year old Indonesian fisherman who has become known worldwide as the ‘tree root man’ and Dr Anthony Gaspari, a dermatology expert at the University of Maryland in the US, who tracked him down in the jungle and begins to develop a cure.

The ‘roots’ in question began to grow from Dede’s hands and feet after cutting his knee as a teenager. Gradually, these roots became so big that he could not walk properly or use his hands and so could not work and was sacked from his job He eventually could no longer care for his two children now teenagers in poverty after his wife had deserted him and although supported by his extended family the local villagers ridicule and abuse him.  At one stage he even joined a local”freak show”, Where he paraded in front of a paying audience with other people suffering from rare and unusual diseased, just to make ends meet.

Local doctors were baffled, but Dr Gaspari flew out to Indonesia to investigate. Blood tests showed that these ‘roots’ were caused by a kind of wart virus known as the Human Papilloma virus (HPV), which is a fairly common infection that causes small warts, but in Dede’s case he has a rare genetic fault that has impeded his immune system so that his body cannot contain the warts.  This virus has now hijacked his skin cells which is what is causing the tree-like growths on his body. Dr. Gaspari suggested Vitamin A treatment in the hope that the condition will reverse and Dede will regain the use of his hands and feet.

After what was an inspirational story of one man trying to help another it has now turned into a political and bureaucratic row. Dr. Gaspari had taken Dede’s blood samples back to his laboratory in the US to research a cure. The Indonesian Health Minister, argues that developing nations risk exploitation unless they maintain control over their virus strains. She supposedly refused bird flu samples previously with other countries in case they use them to produce expensive vaccines. The doctor has offered to put it in writing that the samples are not for commercial use.

Mrs Supari, the Indonesian Health Minister said “We are offended because the samples were taken from Dede without our permission. If they are taken abroad, they could become lucrative commodities.”

Now the project is in jeopardy and a cure for this poor man may never be found with the mystery of his illness remaining unsolved.