Morgellons Disease as a Delusional Parasitosis: A Case Presenting with Dermatological and Ocular Symptoms.

Abstract

Morgellons disease is a rare and controversial disorder characterized by the perception of fiber-like structures in the skin and bodily sensations such as itching and crawling due to them. Patients may cause wounds by trying to remove nonexisting objects they sense. Some practitioners suggest that the disease may be associated with infectious pathogens. However, most clinicians and studies support the hypothesis that the disease is a form of delusional parasitosis. Patients with Morgellons disease, similar to those with delusional parasitosis, have fixed beliefs about foreign bodies on their skin and lack insight into their disease. Morgellons disease has predominantly been described in the dermatology literature, while it has received limited attention in the psychiatry literature. We report the case of a female patient who reported complaints of "hairy, wire-like" structures that appeared with sweat on her body. This patient was referred to psychiatry after initially presenting to the dermatology and ophthalmology clinics. The patient was diagnosed with Morgellons disease and treated with olanzapine. Morgellons disease is considered a form of delusional parasitosis; however, it is not recognized enough by psychiatrists due to the fact that patients mostly present at nonpsychiatric clinics. Therefore, the goal of this report is to increase awareness about Morgellons disease among clinicians, particularly psychiatrists.