Related Experiment Videos

Delusional infestation with unusual pathogens: a report of three cases

P Dewan1, J Miller, C Musters

  • 1Department of Dermatology, Royal London Hospital, London, UK. priyadewan111@hotmail.com

Clinical and Experimental Dermatology
|September 22, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Delusional infestation (DI) is a psychiatric disorder where patients falsely believe they are infested. Effective management of DI requires integrating psychiatric principles into dermatological care.

Area of Science:

  • Psychiatry
  • Dermatology

Background:

  • Delusional infestation (DI), also known as delusional parasitosis, is a psychiatric disorder causing a fixed belief of infestation.
  • The condition leads to significant cutaneous pathology, prompting most affected individuals to seek dermatological care.

Observation:

  • Approximately 90% of patients with DI consult dermatologists, often rejecting psychiatric referrals.
  • This case series reports three instances of DI involving inanimate materials and examines 'Morgellons' disease.

Findings:

  • Patients with unusual presentations of DI, such as those involving inanimate materials, may represent a distinct subgroup.
  • This subgroup might present greater treatment challenges compared to typical DI cases.

Implications:

  • Effective management of DI necessitates the integration of psychiatric expertise within dermatological practice.
  • Increased recognition and understanding of unusual DI presentations are crucial for improved patient outcomes.

Related Concept Videos

Infection01:20

Infection

When a pathogen enters the body and reproduces, it can cause an infection, damage body cells, and cause illness symptoms that eventually lead to disease. Therefore, its prevention requires breaking the chain of infection.
The chain begins with pathogens: bacteria, viruses, fungi, prions, or parasites such as protozoa helminths. These can be present on the skin as transient or resident flora, or they can be acquired from the environment. Identifying and treating the type of infection and...
Healthcare Associated Infections I: Iatrogenic, Exogenic and Endogenic01:26

Healthcare Associated Infections I: Iatrogenic, Exogenic and Endogenic

Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) occur in a healthcare facility while a person receives care for another ailment. This category also includes work-related infections among healthcare staff.
HAIs significantly increase the cost of health care. Extended stays in healthcare institutions, increased disability, increased costs of medications, including specialized antibiotics, and prolonged recovery times add to the patient's expenses and the healthcare institution and funding bodies. Common...
Colonisation of Pathogens01:25

Colonisation of Pathogens

Pathogen colonization of host tissues is a critical step in the development of infectious diseases. Various pathogenic microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, viruses, and protozoa, have evolved complex strategies to attach to, invade, and persist within host environments. These mechanisms enable pathogens to establish infections, evade immune responses, and resist antimicrobial treatments.Attachment to Host CellsIn bacteria, colonization typically begins with adherence to host epithelial...
Fungal Phylum Microsporidia01:28

Fungal Phylum Microsporidia

Microsporidia are a group of obligate intracellular fungi that were initially classified as protists but were later reclassified based on phylogenetic, molecular, and structural evidence linking them to the Chytridiomycota. These unicellular, non-motile organisms are highly specialized parasites that infect a wide range of animal hosts, including humans. They have evolved extensive genomic and metabolic reductions, making them highly dependent on their hosts for survival.Morphology and Genomic...
Candidiasis01:20

Candidiasis

Candidiasis is a fungal infection caused by opportunistic species of Candida. It can affect various anatomical sites, including the skin, oral cavity, nails, and genitourinary tract. Among its forms, vaginal candidiasis is the most common type of mucosal infection. It typically results from the overgrowth of Candida albicans in the vaginal mucosa. Under normal conditions, C. albicans exists as a commensal organism within the vaginal microbiota, regulated by the dominance of lactobacilli, which...
Skin Diseases and Disorders01:23

Skin Diseases and Disorders

Skin is the first line of defense and encounters a variety of microbes. Some pathogenic strains are often the cause of a broad range of infections of the skin and other body systems. These conditions can affect people of all ages and may have different causes, including genetic factors, infections, autoimmune reactions, environmental factors, and lifestyle choices.
Gram-positive Staphylococcus spp. and Streptococcus spp. are responsible for many of the most common skin infections. However, many...