Morgellons Disease
Morgellons disease represents approximately 1/4 of patients with Delusional Infestation. MD is a rare disorder that is more commonly seen in middle-aged, caucasian women (female: male ratio of 3:1) with a mean age of 57 years.
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<iframe src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-KBP248B7" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden"></iframe> Search DermNet CtrlK Are you a healthcare professional GO TO DERMNET PRO Home Topics A-Z Images Cases Skin checker Give feedback Main menu Home Topics A-Z Images Cases Skin checker Give feedback Common skin conditions Acne Athlete's foot Cellulitis Cold sores Dermatitis/Eczema Heat rash Hives Impetigo Psoriasis Ringworm Rosacea Seborrhoeic dermatitis Shingles Vitiligo NEWS Join DermNet PRO Read more Quick links Skin checker Try our skin symptom checker Home Topics A-Z Morgellons disease Morgellons disease — extra information Categories: Systemic diseases, Infestations, Psychological ADVERTISEMENT Systemic diseases Infestations Psychological Morgellons disease Last Reviewed: December, 2024 Author(s): Dr. Avee Naidoo, Associate Physician, Toronto, Canada; Prof. Peter Lepping, Honorary Professor Bangor University, Wales; Honorary Professor Mysore Medical College and Research Institute, India; Consultant Psychiatrist, BCUHB, Wrexham, Wales (2024)Previous author: Dr Eugene Tan, Dermatology Registrar, Waikato Hospital, NZ (2009) Reviewing dermatologist: Dr Ian CoulsonEdited by the DermNet content department Introduction Demographics Causes Clinical features Variation in skin types Complications Diagnosis Differential diagnoses Treatment Prevention Outcome What is Morgellons disease? The term Morgellons was coined in 1674 by Sir Thomas Browne in his monograph entitled “De vermiculis capillaribus infantium". The affected child had critical breakouts of hair-like extrusions from the back which upon occurring; relieved the child from “coughs and convulsions”. Morgellons disease (MD) is not a unique disease in and of itself, but rather, it is a subtype of delusional infestation (DI). Individuals with perceived MD present with a fixed, false belief (delusion) that they are infested by non-living organisms. They describe mysterious non-organic fibres or filaments emerging from the skin, in addition to cutaneous sensations such as pruritus and biting or crawling sensations. Morgellons disease is often incorrectly used synonymously with delusional infestation (previously also known in the literature as delusions of parasitosis) or Ekbom’s Syndrome. Small erosions from which fibres have been extracted from the skin Excoriations and erosions from which fibres have been extracted Material that has been extracted and collected by a Morgellons sufferer - microscopy confirmed that no parasites or micro-organisms were present Microscopy of material provided by a Morgellons sufferer - they show dried serum, keratin and fibrous material Who gets Morgellons disease? Morgellons disease represents approximately 1/4 of patients with delusional Infestation. MD is a rare disorder that is more commonly seen in middle-aged, caucasian women (female:male ratio of 3:1) with a mean age of 57 years. Perceived Morgellons disease is often seen in association with current or past psychiatric illness (eg, schizophrenia, dementia, and depression) or substance use disorders (eg, amphetamine or stimulant misuse). Prevalence is approximately 3.65 per 100,000 individuals. What causes Morgellons disease? In 2008, The Centres for Disease Control (CDC) performed a large-scale population-based study to investigate the underlying etiology of Morgellons disease by examining 113 patient cases of self-declared MD. Morgellons was concluded to be a subtype of delusional Infestation (a psychiatric illness), and not due to infectious etiology or endogenous fibre protrusion. In the past, Morgellons disease was believed to be associated with an infectious link (eg, spirochete infection, especially Borrelia burgdorferi, Chlamydophila pneumonia, and Babesia species), however, there is no evidence supporting these claims. What are the clinical features of Morgellons disease? In keeping with delusional Infestation, patients presenting with perceived Morgellons disease often present with multiple non-healing lesions, which may be superficially infected or ulcerated, and excoriations which spare difficult-to-reach areas. Patients may report cutaneous sensations (eg, formication, burning, stinging), pruritus, rashes, and specific to MD, the protrusion of fibres or filaments from their skin, which are often presented to the assessing physician (“matchbox sign” or “specimen sign”). In addition to cutaneous symptoms, other symptoms include: Neurologic: Headaches, fatigue, neuropathy, cognitive difficulties, including short-term memory deficits, sleep disturbances Cardiovascular: Intolerance of changes in blood pressure, irregular heart rates, and tachycardia (elevated heart rates) Musculoskeletal: Diffuse musculoskeletal pain (arthralgias and myalgias), fibromyalgia, and chronic fatigue syndrome. How do clinical features vary in differing types of skin? It is unknown how Morgellons disease manifests among different skin types and ethnic ...
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