An ape-like girl in the eastern state of Orissa in India has generated a lot of interest among the medical fraternity. The 13-year-old tribal girl, Rebati Kahanr, suffers from gingival enlargement (swelling of the gums) and hypertrichosis (abnormal growth of hair across body and face) that have given her a peculiar look.
Doctors of the Department of Periodontics at the Dental Wing of the SCB Medical College and Hospital are now set to conduct a ge netic analysis to find out the sequences that have given the girl from Khalisahi village in Boudh district such an appearance.
Apparently, her father suffered from a milder form of gingival enlargement (up to 20 per cent) while her brother, who passed away a couple of years back, suffered from the same condition as Rebati.
The research would be conducted under the guidance of Indian Coun- cil of Medical Research (ICMR) and in collaboration with the Institute of Immunology, Mumbai.
After reports about Rebati surfaced, doctors in the state took it upon themselves to help her. And the State government agreed to bear the expenses of her operations.
They have already conducted five operations on her and hope that after 11-12 sittings – and three months – they can make her look normal again.
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