Morgellons (also known as Morgellons disease or Morgellons syndrome) is believed to be a delusional disorder characterized by the patient’s firm belief that he/she is infested by agents such as insects/parasites which causes hair or other fibers to grow from her body. It is a type of Delusional Parasitosis.

Patients with delusional parasitosis are more commonly recognized in dermatology practices today.¹ Patients diagnosed to have Morgellons may exhibit a host of cutaneous symptoms such as crawling, biting and stinging sensations, unusual fibers being shed from the skin and persistent skin lesions such as rashes.

While the validity of the diagnosis is in question, the impact on patient's lives is real, often debilitating, and bears more examination.²

1.      Wong JW, Koo JY. Delusions of Parasitosis. Indian J Dermatol 2013; 58(1): 49-52.

2.      Mortillaro G, Rodgman C, Kinzie E, Ryals S. A case report highlighting the growing trend of Internet-based self-diagnosis of "Morgellon's disease".J La State Med Soc 2013; 165(6): 334-6.

3.      Kellett CE. Sir Thomas Browne and the disease called the Morgellons. Ann Med Hist 1935;7:467-79.

4.      Middelveen MJ, Bandoski C, Burke J, Sapi E, Filush KR, Wang Y,
et al. Exploring the association between Morgellons disease and Lyme disease: Identification of Borreliaburgdorferiin Morgellons disease patients. BMC Dermatol2015;15:1.

5.      Pearson ML, Selby JV, Katz KA, Cantrell V, Braden CR, Parise ME, et al. Clinical, epidemiologic, histopathologic and molecular features of an unexplained dermopathy. PLoS One 2012;7:e29908.

6.      Harvey WT, Bransfield RC, Mercer DE, Wright AJ, Ricchi RM, Leitao MM. Morgellons disease, illuminating an undefined illness: A case series. J Med Case Rep 2009;3:8243.

7.      Misery L. Morgellons syndrome: A disease transmitted via the media. Ann DermatolVenereol 2013; 140:59-62.

8.      Laupland KB, Valiquette L. Delusional Infestation. Can J Infect Dis Med Microbiol 2016; vol. 2016, Article ID 9091838, 4 pages, 2016. doi:10.1155/2016/9091838.

9.      Wenning MT, Davy LE, Catalano G, Catalano MC. Atypical Antipsychotics in the Treatment of Delusional Parasitosis. Annals of Clinical Psychiatry 2003; 15(3-4): 233-9.