Delusional infestation: Two case reports
Introduction Delusional infestation (DI), also known as delusional parasitosis or Ekbom syndrome, is a rare disorder, characterised by fixed belief that the skin, body or immediate environment is infested by small pathogens, despite the lack of any medical evidence for it. Objectives To describe...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Cambridge University Press
2021-04-01
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| Series: | European Psychiatry |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933821020344/type/journal_article |
| _version_ | 1797617458712936448 |
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| author | C. Peixoto D. Rego M. Bicho J. Mendes Coelho H. Medeiros |
| author_facet | C. Peixoto D. Rego M. Bicho J. Mendes Coelho H. Medeiros |
| author_sort | C. Peixoto |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
Introduction
Delusional infestation (DI), also known as delusional parasitosis or Ekbom syndrome, is a rare disorder, characterised by fixed belief that the skin, body or immediate environment is infested by small pathogens, despite the lack of any medical evidence for it.
Objectives
To describe and discuss two clinical cases of DI, in order to show two different ways of presenting in this entity.
Methods
Two case report and non-systematic review.
Results
We present the case of a 76-year-old woman, without psychiatric history, with an DI with 5 years of evolution, referred to a psychiatric consultation by a dermatologist. The second case, is a 41-year-old woman with a history of multiple substance use disorder, with an DI with a month of evolution, who resorted to the emergency department. DI is not a single diagnostic entity. The classic form, as represented in the first case,is a primary form, which develops without any known cause or underlying disease, corresponding to a persistent delusional disorder. However, about 60% of patients have secondary forms of DI, in the context of substance misuse, some medications or in the course of physical or psychiatric diseases (e.g. stroke, delirium, dementia, depression, schizophrenia).
Conclusions
DI can occur as a primary delusional disorder or secondary to several other medical conditions. An in-depth clinical history is essential in order to make the correct diagnosis. A multidisciplinary approach is also important, to exclude any possible organic etiology, not forgetting that many patients may turn to other medical specialities first.
Disclosure
No significant relationships.
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| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T07:56:21Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0092d98b8e1d45f589bd3b11ed60657e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0924-9338 1778-3585 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T07:56:21Z |
| publishDate | 2021-04-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | European Psychiatry |
| spelling | doaj.art-0092d98b8e1d45f589bd3b11ed60657e2023-11-17T05:05:29ZengCambridge University PressEuropean Psychiatry0924-93381778-35852021-04-0164S768S76810.1192/j.eurpsy.2021.2034Delusional infestation: Two case reportsC. Peixoto0D. Rego1M. Bicho2J. Mendes Coelho3H. Medeiros4Psychiatry, Hospital do Divino Espírito Santo de Ponta Delgada, E.P.E., Ponta Delgada, Ponta Delgada, PortugalPsychiatry, Hospital do Divino Espírito Santo de Ponta Delgada, E.P.E., Ponta Delgada, Ponta Delgada, PortugalPsychiatry, Hospital do Divino Espírito Santo de Ponta Delgada, E.P.E., Ponta Delgada, Ponta Delgada, PortugalPsychiatry, Hospital do Divino Espírito Santo de Ponta Delgada, E.P.E., Ponta Delgada, Ponta Delgada, PortugalPsychiatry, Hospital do Divino Espírito Santo de Ponta Delgada, E.P.E., Ponta Delgada, Ponta Delgada, Portugal Introduction Delusional infestation (DI), also known as delusional parasitosis or Ekbom syndrome, is a rare disorder, characterised by fixed belief that the skin, body or immediate environment is infested by small pathogens, despite the lack of any medical evidence for it. Objectives To describe and discuss two clinical cases of DI, in order to show two different ways of presenting in this entity. Methods Two case report and non-systematic review. Results We present the case of a 76-year-old woman, without psychiatric history, with an DI with 5 years of evolution, referred to a psychiatric consultation by a dermatologist. The second case, is a 41-year-old woman with a history of multiple substance use disorder, with an DI with a month of evolution, who resorted to the emergency department. DI is not a single diagnostic entity. The classic form, as represented in the first case,is a primary form, which develops without any known cause or underlying disease, corresponding to a persistent delusional disorder. However, about 60% of patients have secondary forms of DI, in the context of substance misuse, some medications or in the course of physical or psychiatric diseases (e.g. stroke, delirium, dementia, depression, schizophrenia). Conclusions DI can occur as a primary delusional disorder or secondary to several other medical conditions. An in-depth clinical history is essential in order to make the correct diagnosis. A multidisciplinary approach is also important, to exclude any possible organic etiology, not forgetting that many patients may turn to other medical specialities first. Disclosure No significant relationships. https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933821020344/type/journal_articleDelusional InfestationDelusional parasitosisEkbom syndrome |
| spellingShingle | C. Peixoto D. Rego M. Bicho J. Mendes Coelho H. Medeiros Delusional infestation: Two case reports European Psychiatry Delusional Infestation Delusional parasitosis Ekbom syndrome |
| title | Delusional infestation: Two case reports |
| title_full | Delusional infestation: Two case reports |
| title_fullStr | Delusional infestation: Two case reports |
| title_full_unstemmed | Delusional infestation: Two case reports |
| title_short | Delusional infestation: Two case reports |
| title_sort | delusional infestation two case reports |
| topic | Delusional Infestation Delusional parasitosis Ekbom syndrome |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933821020344/type/journal_article |
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