New clinical study- Delusory Parasitosis not Delusory

[LucyGoosey]

Collembola found in scrapings from individuals diagnosed with delusory parasitosis

07/12/04, Needham, MA - Each year, thousands of Americans complain to their physicians about itching, stinging, biting and crawling sensations on or under their skin. Many believe they have head lice or scabies, though they are often referred to psychiatrists or prescribed anti-psychotic medications.

Now, a new clinical study indicates that many of these people do have something in their skin: Collembola, also known as springtails.

Ninety percent of those who participated in the study were found to have Collembola, which are ubiquitous in nature and minute in size, according to the study conducted under the auspices of the National Pediculosis Association (NPA) in Needham, Mass., and the Oklahoma State Department of Health.

The findings are reported in the new edition of the Journal of the New York Entomological Association, headquartered at the American Museum of Natural History.

All of the study participants had been diagnosed with delusory parasitosis, a presumed psychiatric condition among people who believe they are infested with an insect or parasite.

But the new findings bolster the contention of many patients that they "actually have something crawling on or under their skin and are not delusional," said the journal article.

Categorized as hexapods, with six legs, antennas, and no wings, Collembola feed on algae, fungi, bacteria and decaying matter.

During the past few years, 1,500 people have contacted the NPA to report the crawling sensations and related symptoms. The study focused on 20 of these people -- and skin scrapings revealed that all but two of them had Collembola.

Researchers used special imaging techniques to discover the Collembola, which are extremely well hidden and easy to miss.

"Collembola as a common denominator in people diagnosed with delusory parasitosis calls for more research to better understand the relationship between Collembola and humans and the critical need to help those who suffer with this condition," said NPA president Deborah Altschuler, one of six researchers who authored the article. "We believe the study breaks the century-old logjam that the sensations of crawling, stinging, and biting are only imagined."

Collembola predominately dwell in soil and litter, preferring wet or damp surroundings. They sometimes congregate in large numbers under leaky kitchen or bathroom sinks, swimming pools or in the soil of potted plants.

Little is known about the health effects of Collembola, or how to prevent or treat them as a problem for human skin.

The NPA encourages medical professionals, sufferers or anyone with information on these or similar symptoms to share information by visiting the NPA's Reporting Registry. Reprints of the article are available from the NPA and can be requested via the registry.

Besides Altschuler, authors of the article included Oklahoma State Health Commissioner Michael Crutcher, Romania-based researchers Neculai Dulceanu, and Cristina Terinte, Beth Cervantes of NPA and Louis Sorkin of the American Museum of Natural History.

COLLEMBOLA (SPRINGTAILS) (ARTHROPODA: HEXAPODA: ENTOGNATHA) FOUND IN SCRAPINGS FROM INDIVIDUALS DIAGNOSED WITH DELUSORY PARASITOSIS

Issn: 0028-7199 Journal: Journal of the New York Entomological Society Volume: 112 Issue: 1 Pages: 87-95

Authors: Altschuler, Deborah Z., Crutcher, Michael, Dulceanu, Neculai, Cervantes, Beth A., Terinte, Cristina, Sorkin, Louis N.

DOI: 10.1043/0028-7199(2004)1122.0.CO;2 eum of Natural History in New York.

[danvet]

I understand that of those suffering from collembola, nurses and teachers make up a high percentage of them. Because of the growing emergence of this disease, the lack of research, understanding, and treatment for this terrible disease, what becomes of those nurses? What happens when it can't be proven it's work related? Are those nurses getting jobs? If so, where? What becomes of the nurses?

I am shocked to learn about this disease and that doctors are readily available to label patients as "delusional". What a shame that in a time of such a horrible nursing shortage that is likely to get worse and adding on the rapid spread that this bug seems to have, we are going to have big trouble.

On top of physical suffering and feelings of despair and isolation, these patients are then misdiagnosed and ridiculed by the healthcare community. I feel like we need to do something about it.

Who is currently doing research on this and it's impact and possible management/cure?

For those of you out there wanting more information look the health section of ktvu, san francisco online. Very interesting and scary.