Delusional infestations: clinical presentation, diagnosis and treatment

Patients with delusional infestations (DI), previously named delusions of parasitosis, have a fixed, false belief that they are infested with living or non‐living pathogens. Patients have abnormal cutaneous symptoms such as itching, biting, or crawling sensations. They often demonstrate self‐destruc...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International journal of dermatology 2013-07, Vol.52 (7), p.775-783
Main Authors: Heller, Misha M., Wong, Jillian W., Lee, Eric S., Ladizinski, Barry, Grau, Manuel, Howard, Josephine L., Berger, Timothy G., Koo, John Y. M., Murase, Jenny E.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Antipsychotic Agents - therapeutic use
Delusional Parasitosis - diagnosis
Delusional Parasitosis - psychology
Delusional Parasitosis - therapy
Humans
Medical History Taking
Patient Care Planning
Physical Examination
Physician-Patient Relations
Skin Diseases - diagnosis
Skin Diseases - psychology
Trust
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Description
Summary:Patients with delusional infestations (DI), previously named delusions of parasitosis, have a fixed, false belief that they are infested with living or non‐living pathogens. Patients have abnormal cutaneous symptoms such as itching, biting, or crawling sensations. They often demonstrate self‐destructive behavior in an effort to rid the pathogens from under their skin, leading to excoriations, ulcerations, and serious secondary infections. This review article aims to provide an overview of DI including its clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment. Strategies on how to establish a strong therapeutic alliance with DI patients are discussed. In addition, antipsychotic medications used in the treatment of DI are described.
ISSN:0011-9059
1365-4632
DOI:10.1111/ijd.12067