People Who Feel They Suffer from Under-The-Skin Infestation may be Delusional

Even though many people feel that they suffer from some form under-the-skin infestation, a new study conducted by researchers at Mayo Clinic reveals that the patients suffer from “delusional infestation”. More than a 100 patients took part in the study with all of the patients being diagnosed with delusional infestation during the period between 2001 and 2007. The researchers conducted skin biopsy of 80 patients and found that none of the patients had any sign of infestation under their skin even though over half of the patients did show signs of dermatitis.

One of the patients was diagnosed with herpes after complaining that there were eggs and non-living things following the initial complaint of rectal itching. Lead researcher Mark Davis said that some of the patients showed signs of other psychiatric conditions though majority of them complained only of the infestation.

“This study indicates that even when skin biopsies are obtained, and specimens of the organisms brought by the patients are carefully examined, there is no objective evidence of skin infestation”, Davis said in the report which has been published in the Archives of Dermatology.


Source-Medindia