Is This Morgellons Skin Disease

by Mr.X
(Spain)

I am 33 years old and work in the hospital. Since September 2010 I am dealing with strange parasites. I feel crawling sensation in my legs, spine and arms.

At the beginning I didn't know what was happening to me. I went to the Dermatologist who said I am healthy, just my skin is little bit dry, so he prescribed some creams which doesn't help me at all. Day after day my symptoms developed more and more and I visited the doctor again. He did many tests including a skin biopsy, but nothing except unusual skin inflammation was the biopsy result, so then my doctor labeled me delusional for parasites.

Since then I decided to start my own investigation because i believed that I have something... I was more than sure. I bought a usb microscope with 150 magnifications and then I realized what was causing the skin itch. But I still can't recognize what kind of insect or life being is this.

I sent the picture of it to an entomologist. He also can't recognize it but supposed it to be Morgellons. Every day thousands of black and white fibers come out from my skin. Occasionally beetle like insects with the long fiber in anterior part comes out (especially after long time rubbing a lot amount of olive oil)...they are very very strange.

Up to today I am suffering with no any cure against these parasites. But somehow I am controlling them with different things and chemicals which are chronically poisoning me. I want to go back to my prior life but how???.. I don't know.

Here I am attaching the one pic of beetle like insect which is in my opinion the mature form and this is responsible for laying eggs. I would be happy if somebody up there who knows how to cure it. Please contact me via: carlos.iber@mail.ru

Editor Comment Morgellons Disease

Dear Carlos,

I'm so sorry to hear about your Morgellon's skin disease. The good news is that there is research actively going on in the United States on Morgellons at Ohio State University. As indicated on the University's website, Morgellon's is frequently misdiagnosed as "Delusional Parasitosis or an Obsessive Picking Disorder."

I'd suggest contacting Ohio State by clicking here. They are in the best position to determine the best course of action and to confirm this diagnosis.

The OSU website lists the following Morgellon's symptoms that differentiate the disease from delusional parasitosis or an obsessive picking disorder. They are as follows:

• Distinct and poorly healing skin lesions with unusually thick, membranous scarring upon eventual healing.
• Moderate to extreme pruritis at sites of lesions as well as un-erupted skin.
• Microscopic examination of these lesions will most often reveal the presence of unusual fibers, which may be
black, blue or red. These fibers, which many healthcare providers initially thought to be textile
contaminants, are often present in the deep tissue of biopsies obtained from unbroken skin of individuals
with this condition. Careful examination of these fibers further reveals that they are frequently associated
with hair follicles, and are definitely not textile in origin.
• Most of these patients suffer from a host of neurological symptoms which can vary in severity from mild to
severe. These neurological symptoms include peripheral tingling, paresthesias and varying degrees of motor
involvement which appear to progress.
• Intermittent cognitive and behavioral status changes are often observed and also seem to progress with the
severity of disease. This is often referred to as “brain fog” by the patient as they experience a waxing and
waning of this symptom.
• Laboratory findings in these patients are variable, but often reveal eosinophilia and elevated levels of
Immunoglobin E.
• Other symptoms of varying severity and frequency have been described, and are included in the attached
case definition.

This diagnosis is still controversial as a recent report from the Mayo Clinic claims there are other causes as outlined in this news story.

Best of luck as you seek a diagnosis. Please keep us up to date as your note is not the first time we have encountered some confusion between bites from parasites and Morgelllons.

- Jeff