Sufferers of Morgellons disease have insisted for years that they are infested with a parasite that crawls under their skin, occasionally tunneling out to the surface.
After an exhaustive study, the Mayo Clinic has concluded that those little bugs are all in the sufferers’ heads, according to a report in the Archives of Dermatology.
The symptoms of the disease are horrific. They include a sensation of parasites moving just under the skin, causing itching, rashes and ulcers. Sufferers say the parasites leave behind small deposits when they burrow to the surface.
Doctors at the Mayo Clinic examined samples of those deposits from 108 patients. One was found to be pubic lice. The rest were found to have no evidence of a bug infestation.
Most of the samples were dust, fibers or other debris. One was a tick. Another was a mite.
Instead, researchers say sufferers are more likely afflicted with a condition known as delusional parasitosis. Translation: It’s all in their heads.
A rash or an itch could spawn the delusion or reinforce it. A quick search of the Internet reveals others with similar symptoms. A syndrome is born.
The news is certain not to satisfy many who say they are afflicted with Morgellons. They have a large online community and are validated by the Morgellons Research Foundation, which has called for a government study of the condition.
But when it comes to treating Morgellons, dermatologists might need to write a referral for psychiatric evaluation.