Psychogenic Parasitosis: A Case Series and Literature Review

• Published in: Psychosomatics (Washington, D.C.) Vol. 39; no. 6; pp. 491 - 500
• Main Authors: Slaughter, James R., Zanol, Karen, Rezvani, Hushman, Flax, Julia
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC Elsevier Inc 01.11.1998; American Psychiatric Press; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Adult; Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Aged; Anxiety Disorders - complications; Anxiety Disorders - therapy; Biological and medical sciences; Delusions - classification; Delusions - etiology; Delusions - history; Delusions - therapy; Depression - complications; Depression - therapy; Female; History of medicine; History, 20th Century; Humans; Literature reviews; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Other psychotic disorders; Parasitic Diseases - psychology; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Psychoses; Sensation Disorders - complications; Somatoform Disorders - classification; Somatoform Disorders - etiology; Somatoform Disorders - history; Somatoform Disorders - therapy; Infection; Concept; Case study; Human; Symptomatology; Treatment; Delusion; Mental disorder; Evolution; Psychogenic; Parasitosis; Case history
• ISSN: 0033-3182; 1545-7206
• DOI: 10.1016/S0033-3182(98)71281-2

About 100 years ago, psychogenic parasitosis was first described in the literature. This peculiar symptom may complicate medical and psychiatric conditions or indicate the presence of a delusional disorder (somatic type). By using the authors’ case series of 12 patients, which are reported in the article, and a review of the literature, an historical perspective and the authors’ clinical orientation to evaluation and treatment of psychogenic parasitosis are presented.