Meet 10-year-old Sahana from Bangladesh, the first female with 'tree man syndrome'

Representational image

New Delhi: 10-year-old Sahana Khatun from Bangladesh and her father noticed the bark-like warts growing on her face some four months ago.

When the growth began spreading, her father traveled to Dhaka Medical College Hospital to seek medical attention.

Doctors at the the hospital claim that this could possibly be the first female to have 'tree-man syndrome'.

The growth spread to her nose, ears and chin which is when her father got worried and went to the hospital.

If her diagnosis is right, Sahana becomes one of a tiny group worldwide with epidermodysplasia verruciformis.

It is a rare genetic disease that produces scaly, bark-like growths which particularly affect the hands and feet.

Only a few people - all men - are thought to have the disease.