Morgellons disease is a rare and controversial skin condition characterized by crawling, stinging, and biting sensations on and under the skin. Morgellons patients also report the appearance of fiber-like filaments protruding from open skin lesions. While the cause remains unknown, some researchers have suggested that the filaments are produced by an infectious parasite that lives under the skin.
What are the symptoms of Morgellons?
In addition to odd skin sensations and lesions, Morgellons symptoms include:
- Pruritus – Severe itching and inflammation of the skin
- Formication – Feeling like something is crawling on or stinging the skin
- Fatigue and weakness
- Muscle aches
- Brain fog and trouble concentrating
- Changes in vision
- Joint pain
The most distinctive symptom is the presence of fibers or filaments that patients report growing from open skin lesions. These fibers can be white, blue, red, or black in color and are often described as resembling sand, fuzzballs, threads, or seed-like granules.
What causes Morgellons?
The exact cause of Morgellons is unknown, and medical professionals disagree about the origins of the disease. Some believe it is a delusional skin condition, while others think it may be related to the following possible factors:
- Infectious agents – Bacteria, fungi, or parasites that infect the skin and cause unusual sensations and fiber growth. Morgellons is often associated with Lyme disease and tic infections.
- Toxic exposure – Exposure to chemicals, heavy metals, or other toxins that affect the nervous system and skin.
- Hypersensitivity – An abnormal reaction of the immune system to infectious or environmental agents.
- Genetic factors – Gene mutations that affect skin and nervous system function.
While none of these potential causes have been conclusively proven, many researchers believe Morgellons results from some combination of infectious agents, toxin exposure, and nervous system dysfunction.
Is Morgellons caused by a parasite?
Some researchers theorize that Morgellons is caused by a parasite that lives under the skin and releases fibers. While not conclusively proven, there is some evidence to support this theory:
- Fibers from Morgellons skin lesions have tested positive for collagen and keratin – structural proteins produced by the human body.
- Lab tests of fibers have found the presence of cellulose – a compound produced by plants and bacteria, but not humans.
- Morgellons patients often test positive for Lyme disease or other tick-borne diseases that involve parasitic bacteria.
- Antiparasitic drugs like ivermectin help reduce Morgellons symptoms in some patients.
- Skin lesions resemble those caused by parasitic infections like onchocerciasis or filariasis.
While promising, more research is needed to conclusively link Morgellons to a skin parasite. The CDC officially states there is no evidence of an infectious process.
Possible parasitic causes
If Morgellons is caused by a parasite, hypotheses include:
- Agrobacterium – A bacterium known to cause galls or tumors in plants. Could potentially also infect humans.
- Helminths – Intestinal worms that may migrate under the skin in some cases.
- Nematodes – Microscopic roundworms that can sometimes infect the skin.
- Protozoa – Single-celled parasites like Toxoplasma gondii or Trypanosoma cruzi.
- Borrelia burgdorferi – The bacteria that causes Lyme disease.
- Dirofilaria repens – A pet worm that can infect humans in rare cases.
However, repeated testing has failed to consistently find any known parasitic organism in Morgellons skin lesions. The identity of a hypothesized Morgellons parasite remains a mystery.
Is there a test for Morgellons?
There is no single definitive diagnostic test for Morgellons disease. However, patients may undergo various tests to look for associated conditions or known infectious agents, including:
- Physical exam to thoroughly inspect the skin lesions and fibers.
- Blood tests to look for signs of inflammation and autoantibodies.
- Skin biopsy to analyze fibers under the microscope.
- PCR tests to detect DNA from bacteria, fungi or parasites.
- Neurological exam to assess any nerve damage.
- Lyme disease tests.
- Complete blood count (CBC).
The fibers or filaments themselves can also be analyzed. However, most fibers from Morgellons lesions appear to be composed of organic debris from the skin itself.
How is Morgellons treated?
There is no universally agreed upon treatment for Morgellons disease. However, patients often find relief from some combination of the following approaches:
- Antiparasitic drugs – Medications like ivermectin or albendazole that treat parasitic worm infections.
- Antibiotics – Long courses of antibiotics, especially those that treat Lyme disease.
- Immune-modulating drugs – Medications to reduce inflammation and calm an overactive immune response.
- Antifungal creams – Topical creams containing clotrimazole, sulconazole, or similar antifungal agents.
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) – CBT and antidepressant drugs may help reduce obsessive skin picking and the sensation of crawling or stinging.
- Wound care – Keeping skin clean and properly dressed to allow lesions to heal.
However, no single treatment works for all patients. Treatment is often a process of trial and error to find what provides the most relief of symptoms.
What is the prognosis for Morgellons?
The long-term prognosis for Morgellons patients varies considerably. For some patients, symptoms gradually resolve over time, especially with treatment. However, others experience persisting or recurrent symptoms for many years.
Complications and co-existing conditions may impact the prognosis, including:
- Secondary infections that delay healing.
- Severe fatigue, joint pain and other chronic symptoms.
- Cognitive deficits and neurological damage.
- Psychological conditions like depression, anxiety or obsessive-compulsive disorder.
- Underlying conditions like Lyme disease.
While not fatal in most cases, Morgellons can significantly reduce quality of life due to chronic pain, itching, and discomfort. Patience and persistence with treatment is often required to achieve remission.
Conclusion
In summary, Morgellons disease is a complex and poorly understood skin condition characterized by unusual filaments and sensations under the skin. While an infectious parasite remains one unproven hypothesis, the exact cause remains unknown. Treatment focuses on managing symptoms and associated factors like Lyme disease, inflammation, and mental health disorders. Further research is critically needed to understand the origins of Morgellons and find more effective treatments for patients.