Delusions of Parasitosis: An Update

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Dermatology
• Psychosomatic Medicine

Background:

• Delusional parasitosis (DP), or Ekbom syndrome, is a rare psychotic disorder.
• It involves a fixed false belief of skin infestation without medical evidence.
• DP can be primary, secondary, or organic, and sometimes shared with relatives (folie à deux).

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the diagnostic challenges and treatment complexities of delusional parasitosis.
• To emphasize the importance of multidisciplinary collaboration in managing DP.
• To underscore the need for patient trust and understanding in treatment initiation.

Main Methods:

• This abstract reviews the characteristics and management of delusional parasitosis.
• It discusses the difficulties in diagnosis and the initiation of psychopharmacological therapy.
• The role of multidisciplinary cooperation and building patient rapport is examined.

Main Results:

• Patients frequently seek care from multiple physicians, delaying diagnosis.
• Psychiatric treatment is often refused due to stigma and the belief in a physical cause.
• Shared psychotic disorder-delusional parasitosis occurs in 5-15% of cases.

Conclusions:

• Multidisciplinary collaboration is essential for timely diagnosis of DP.
• Establishing trust with patients is critical due to their resistance to psychiatric labels.
• Addressing patient isolation and depression symptoms is vital for successful management.