Epidermodysplasia verruciformis (EV) is an uncommon hereditary disorder that increases vulnerability to skin infections caused by human papillomaviruses (HPVs) and results in the formation of skin carcinomas, a type of cancer. The condition is characterized by flat to elevated reddish-brown plaques that appear on the trunk, hands, arms, legs, and face. Individuals with EV often harbor multiple strains of HPV. The genetic anomaly associated with this disorder results in an impaired immune response to HPV, leading to the distinctive symptoms. The majority of cases are passed down in an autosomal recessive manner, meaning both parents must possess a faulty gene copy for their child to manifest the condition. Known by other names, this disorder is also called Lewandowsky-Lutz syndrome, tree-man illness, or tree-man disease.
