ABOUT AUTHORS:
Jyotirmoyee Patnaik
Kanak Manjari Institute of pharmaceutical Sciences.
Rourkela, Orissa
patnaik.jyotirmoyee@gmail.com
ABSTRACT:
Morgellons disease is a mysterious skin disorder that was first described more than 300 years ago. The disease is characterized by fiber-like strands extruding from the skin in conjunction with various dermatologic and neuropsychiatric symptoms Morgellons is a disease of skin lesions, where patients’ complain of itching with skin patches, discomfort and a feeling of something rolling under their skin, and finding fibers, whether single or in bunch on the surface of the skin, mostly on exposed areas such as the face, neck, chest, arms and other parts of the body. The signs and symptoms vary in different individuals.
REFERENCE ID: PHARMATUTOR-ART-2063
INTRODUCTION:
Morgellons disease is a little-known disorder that is often associated with nonspecific skin, nerve, and psychiatric symptoms. Some refer to it as a fiber disease. People with this disorder seem to be more likely to develop low thyroid functioning (hypothyroidism). Caucasian females from about 35 to 50 years old tend to develop this uncommon condition more than other groups, and Texas and California seem to have a higher incidence of this condition than other U.S. states.
SIGN AND SYMPTOM: People who have Morgellons disease report the following signs and symptoms:
- Skin rashes or sores that can cause intense itching
- Crawling sensations on and under the skin, often compared to insects moving, stinging or biting
- Fibers, threads or black stringy material in and on the skin
- Severe fatigue
- Difficulty concentrating
- Short-term memory loss
CAUSES:
There are reports of Morgellons disease in patients with Lyme disease. Many practitioners believe that Morgellons disease is a form of psychosis that causes the person to imagine that they are infested by parasites (delusional parasitosis) rather than a diagnosis based upon physical signs. Research on this syndrome has so far not found it to be caused by an infection. It is therefore not contagious. This condition has not been found to be the result of an environmental toxin
TREATMENT:
While there is no specific cure for Morgellons disease, individuals who suffer from this condition have been found to benefit from medications that treat psychosis or tics, like olanzapine or pimozide (Orap), respectively. Unfortunately, the prognosis for this disorder is difficult because of the lack of clarity regarding its symptoms, diagnosis, and potential causes.
REFERENCES:
• Dovigi, A.J. "Intraoral Morgellons disease or delusional parasitosis: a first case report." The American Journal of Dermatopathology 32.6 (2010): 603-605.
• Hylwa, S.A., J.E. Bury, M.D.P. Davis, et al. "Delusional infestation, including delusions of parasitosis: results of histologic examination of skin biopsy and patient-provided skin specimens." Archives of Dermatology 147.9 (2011): 1041-1045.
• Koblenzer, C.S. "Pimozide at least as safe as and perhaps more effective than olanzapine for treatment of Morgellons disease." Archives of Dermatology 142.10 Oct. 2006.
• Pearson, M.L., J.V. Selby, K.A. Katz, V. Cantrell, C.R. Braden, et al. "Clinical, Epidemiologic, Histopathologic and Molecular Features of an Unexplained Dermopathy."
• Reid, E.E., and P.A. Lio. "Successful treatment of Morgellons Disease with pimozide therapy." Archives of Dermatology 146.10 Oct. 2010.
• Savely, V.R., and R.B. Stricker. "Morgellons disease: analysis of a population with clinically confirmed microscopic subcutaneous fibers of unknown etiology." Clinical Cosmetic Investigative Dermatology 3 (2010): 67-78.
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