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Morgellons Disease

MedGen UID:
385334
•Concept ID:
C2350431
•
Disease or Syndrome
Synonyms: Disease, Morgellons; Morgellon; Morgellon's; Morgellons; Morgellons Syndrome; Syndrome, Morgellons

Definition

An unexplained illness which is characterized by skin manifestations including non-healing lesions, itching, and the appearance of fibers. [from MeSH]

Term Hierarchy

CClinical test,  RResearch test,  OOMIM,  GGeneReviews,  VClinVar  
  • CROGVMorgellons Disease

Professional guidelines

PubMed

Morgellons disease: insights into treatment.
Aung-Din D, Sahni DR, Jorizzo JL, Feldman SR
Dermatol Online J 2018 Nov 15;24(11) PMID: 30695970
Management of Morgellons Disease With Low-Dose Trifluoperazine.
Yan BY, Jorizzo JL
JAMA Dermatol 2018 Feb 1;154(2):216-218. doi: 10.1001/jamadermatol.2017.5175. PMID: 29322188Free PMC Article
Information, consent and treatment of patients with Morgellons disease: an ethical perspective.
Söderfeldt Y, Groß D
Am J Clin Dermatol 2014 Apr;15(2):71-6. doi: 10.1007/s40257-014-0071-y. PMID: 24671866

Recent clinical studies

Etiology

Morgellons Disease: The Spread of a Mass Psychogenic Illness via the Internet and Its Implications in Hand Surgery.
Nunziato CA, Egeland BM, Gurman A, Henry SL
Hand (N Y) 2021 Nov;16(6):NP5-NP9. Epub 2021 Jan 12 doi: 10.1177/1558944720976648. PMID: 33435739Free PMC Article
Is Morgellons an organic disease? structural and functional abnormalities implicated in the pathophysiology of delusional infestation.
Chan S, Xiao A, Patel S, Nakamura M, Koo J
Dermatol Online J 2020 Nov 15;26(11) PMID: 33342168
Current Understanding and Approach to Delusional Infestation.
Moriarty N, Alam M, Kalus A, O'Connor K
Am J Med 2019 Dec;132(12):1401-1409. Epub 2019 Jul 8 doi: 10.1016/j.amjmed.2019.06.017. PMID: 31295443
Morgellons disease: insights into treatment.
Aung-Din D, Sahni DR, Jorizzo JL, Feldman SR
Dermatol Online J 2018 Nov 15;24(11) PMID: 30695970
Disorder or delusion? Living with Morgellons disease.
Simpson L, Baier M
J Psychosoc Nurs Ment Health Serv 2009 Aug;47(8):36-41. doi: 10.3928/02793695-20090706-03. PMID: 19681520

Diagnosis

The challenge of Morgellons disease: A patient with clinicopathologic correlation.
Caputo V, Bonoldi E, Citterio A, Rongioletti F
Clin Dermatol 2022 Nov-Dec;40(6):686-690. Epub 2022 Jul 26 doi: 10.1016/j.clindermatol.2022.07.003. PMID: 35905899
Morgellons disease etiology and therapeutic approach: a systematic review.
Beuerlein KG, Balogh EA, Feldman SR
Dermatol Online J 2021 Aug 15;27(8) doi: 10.5070/D327854682. PMID: 34755952
Morgellons Disease: The Spread of a Mass Psychogenic Illness via the Internet and Its Implications in Hand Surgery.
Nunziato CA, Egeland BM, Gurman A, Henry SL
Hand (N Y) 2021 Nov;16(6):NP5-NP9. Epub 2021 Jan 12 doi: 10.1177/1558944720976648. PMID: 33435739Free PMC Article
Delusional infestation.
Freudenmann RW, Lepping P
Clin Microbiol Rev 2009 Oct;22(4):690-732. doi: 10.1128/CMR.00018-09. PMID: 19822895Free PMC Article
The mystery of Morgellons disease: infection or delusion?
Savely VR, Leitao MM, Stricker RB
Am J Clin Dermatol 2006;7(1):1-5. doi: 10.2165/00128071-200607010-00001. PMID: 16489838

Therapy

The challenge of Morgellons disease: A patient with clinicopathologic correlation.
Caputo V, Bonoldi E, Citterio A, Rongioletti F
Clin Dermatol 2022 Nov-Dec;40(6):686-690. Epub 2022 Jul 26 doi: 10.1016/j.clindermatol.2022.07.003. PMID: 35905899
Choosing the appropriate pharmacotherapy for Morgellons disease: an expert perspective.
Balogh EA, Beuerlein KG, Feldman SR
Expert Opin Pharmacother 2022 Apr;23(5):527-530. Epub 2022 Jan 25 doi: 10.1080/14656566.2022.2029407. PMID: 35076344
Morgellons disease etiology and therapeutic approach: a systematic review.
Beuerlein KG, Balogh EA, Feldman SR
Dermatol Online J 2021 Aug 15;27(8) doi: 10.5070/D327854682. PMID: 34755952
Historical and clinical considerations on Ekbom's syndrome.
Orsolini L, Gentilotti A, Giordani M, Volpe U
Int Rev Psychiatry 2020 Aug-Sep;32(5-6):424-436. Epub 2020 May 21 doi: 10.1080/09540261.2020.1757306. PMID: 32436416
Morgellons disease: insights into treatment.
Aung-Din D, Sahni DR, Jorizzo JL, Feldman SR
Dermatol Online J 2018 Nov 15;24(11) PMID: 30695970

Prognosis

Current Understanding and Approach to Delusional Infestation.
Moriarty N, Alam M, Kalus A, O'Connor K
Am J Med 2019 Dec;132(12):1401-1409. Epub 2019 Jul 8 doi: 10.1016/j.amjmed.2019.06.017. PMID: 31295443
Management of Morgellons Disease With Low-Dose Trifluoperazine.
Yan BY, Jorizzo JL
JAMA Dermatol 2018 Feb 1;154(2):216-218. doi: 10.1001/jamadermatol.2017.5175. PMID: 29322188Free PMC Article
Morgellons disease: experiences of an integrated multidisciplinary dermatology team to achieve positive outcomes.
Mohandas P, Bewley A, Taylor R
J Dermatolog Treat 2018 Mar;29(2):208-213. Epub 2017 Jul 14 doi: 10.1080/09546634.2017.1349868. PMID: 28665169

Clinical prediction guides

Historical and clinical considerations on Ekbom's syndrome.
Orsolini L, Gentilotti A, Giordani M, Volpe U
Int Rev Psychiatry 2020 Aug-Sep;32(5-6):424-436. Epub 2020 May 21 doi: 10.1080/09540261.2020.1757306. PMID: 32436416
Treatment of Oral Mucosal Lesions Associated With Overlapping Psychodermatologic Disorders.
Alfaris S, France K, Sollecito TP, Stoopler ET
Compend Contin Educ Dent 2018 Apr;39(4):244-1246. PMID: 29600872
Exploring the association between Morgellons disease and Lyme disease: identification of Borrelia burgdorferi in Morgellons disease patients.
Middelveen MJ, Bandoski C, Burke J, Sapi E, Filush KR, Wang Y, Franco A, Mayne PJ, Stricker RB
BMC Dermatol 2015 Feb 12;15(1):1. doi: 10.1186/s12895-015-0023-0. PMID: 25879673Free PMC Article
Delusional infestation is typically comorbid with other psychiatric diagnoses: review of 54 patients receiving psychiatric evaluation at Mayo Clinic.
Hylwa SA, Foster AA, Bury JE, Davis MD, Pittelkow MR, Bostwick JM
Psychosomatics 2012 May-Jun;53(3):258-65. Epub 2012 Mar 27 doi: 10.1016/j.psym.2011.11.003. PMID: 22458994

Recent systematic reviews

Morgellons disease etiology and therapeutic approach: a systematic review.
Beuerlein KG, Balogh EA, Feldman SR
Dermatol Online J 2021 Aug 15;27(8) doi: 10.5070/D327854682. PMID: 34755952

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