Delusional Parasitosis

A delusional disorder of belief in infestation by insects or other parasites. This FORMICATION is typically accompanied by dermatological manifestation such as PRURITUS that may lead to self-mutilation in order to remove the perceived parasites. It can be either primary or secondary to a somatic or psychiatric condition.

Also Known As:

Delusory Parasitosis; Dermatozoic Delusion; Ekbom Delusional Parasitosis; Ekbom Delusory Parasitosis; Ekbom Dermatozoic Delusion; Ekbom Psychogenic Parasitosis; Psychogenic Parasitosis; Delusion, Dermatozoic; Delusion, Ekbom Dermatozoic; Delusional Parasitoses; Delusional Parasitoses, Ekbom; Delusional Parasitosis, Ekbom; Delusions, Dermatozoic; Delusions, Ekbom Dermatozoic; Delusory Parasitoses; Delusory Parasitoses, Ekbom; Delusory Parasitosis, Ekbom; Dermatozoic Delusion, Ekbom; Dermatozoic Delusions; Dermatozoic Delusions, Ekbom; Ekbom Delusional Parasitoses; Ekbom Delusory Parasitoses; Ekbom Dermatozoic Delusions; Ekbom Psychogenic Parasitoses; Parasitoses, Delusional; Parasitoses, Delusory; Parasitoses, Ekbom Delusional; Parasitoses, Ekbom Delusory; Parasitoses, Ekbom Psychogenic; Parasitoses, Psychogenic; Parasitosis, Delusional; Parasitosis, Delusory; Parasitosis, Ekbom Delusional; Parasitosis, Ekbom Delusory; Parasitosis, Ekbom Psychogenic; Parasitosis, Psychogenic; Psychogenic Parasitoses; Psychogenic Parasitoses, Ekbom; Psychogenic Parasitosis, Ekbom

Networked: 80 relevant articles (10 outcomes, 4 trials/studies)

Relationship Network

Disease Context: Research Results

Mental Disorders: 24177
- Schizophrenia Spectrum and Other Psychotic Disorders: 9
  - Delusional Parasitosis: 80

Related Diseases

1.	Shared Paranoid Disorder (Folie a Deux)
2.	Paranoid Schizophrenia (Delusional Disorder)
3.	Hallucinations (Hallucination)
4.	Morgellons Disease
5.	Renal Insufficiency (Renal Failure)

Experts

1.	Bewley, A: 3 articles (10/2011 - 10/2006)
2.	Freudenmann, Roland W: 3 articles (10/2008 - 09/2007)
3.	Lepping, Peter: 3 articles (10/2008 - 09/2007)
4.	Tzeng, Nian-Sheng: 2 articles (09/2022 - 08/2010)
5.	Cubała, Wiesław Jerzy: 2 articles (06/2011 - 07/2007)
6.	Jakuszkowiak-Wojten, Katarzyna: 2 articles (06/2011 - 07/2007)
7.	Taylor, R: 2 articles (10/2010 - 10/2006)
8.	Freudenmann, R W: 2 articles (04/2009 - 01/2005)
9.	Schönfeldt-Lecuona, C: 2 articles (04/2009 - 01/2005)
10.	Chen, Tien-Yu: 1 article (09/2022)

Drugs and Biologics

Drugs and Important Biological Agents (IBA) related to Delusional Parasitosis:

1.	Antipsychotic Agents (Antipsychotics)IBA 09/01/2007 - "Analysis of selected patients with primary delusional parasitosis showed that typical and atypical antipsychotics were effective in the majority, but that remission rates did not differ significantly between typical and atypical antipsychotics. " 09/01/2007 - "In the absence of controlled trials there is limited evidence that antipsychotics are effective in primary delusional parasitosis. " 03/26/2022 - "She took medication, including antipsychotics, with a diagnosis of delusional parasitosis, and the delusion improved after three months. " 01/01/2019 - "Further studies are needed to investigate the association between delusional parasitosis and underlying pathophysiology of DLB, and the utility of antipsychotics for delusional parasitosis in DLB has to be examined through more cases." 10/01/2008 - "In the absence of controlled clinical trials, little is known about antipsychotic treatment in primary and secondary delusional parasitosis (DP). "
2.	Risperidone (Risperdal Consta)FDA LinkGeneric 11/24/2023 - "Risperidone is an effective, well-tolerated and safe treatment for delusional parasitosis. " 01/01/2015 - "The primary cases of delusional parasitosis responded well to oral risperidone. " 10/01/2006 - "Delusional parasitosis presenting as folie à trois: successful treatment with risperidone." 06/01/2006 - "Regional cerebral blood flow changes in a patient with delusional parasitosis before and after successful treatment with risperidone: a case report." 10/01/2002 - "Delusional parasitosis responding to risperidone."
3.	ziprasidone (Geodon)FDA Link 01/01/2013 - "This case report describes a 24-year-old woman with delusional parasitosis who was treated with ziprasidone monotherapy (120 mg/day) with a complete remission of delusion and followed for one year without symptom recurrences. " 01/01/2013 - "These findings, although preliminary, indicate that further investigation of ziprasidone monotherapy for the treatment of delusional parasitosis is warranted in further trials." 01/01/2013 - "Successful ziprasidone monotherapy in a case of delusional parasitosis: a one-year followup." 05/01/2012 - "Ziprasidone in the treatment of delusional parasitosis." 07/01/2023 - "Treatment of Amphetamine-Induced Truman Show Delusion and Delusional Parasitosis with High-Dose Ziprasidone."
4.	Aripiprazole (Abilify)FDA Link 04/01/2013 - "Aripiprazole in the treatment of delusional parasitosis with ocular and dermatologic presentations." 05/01/2011 - "[Delusional parasitosis associated with dialysis treated with aripiprazole]." 01/01/2011 - "A patient with delusional parasitosis of face who responded to aripiprazole is described." 04/01/2009 - "Treatment of delusional parasitosis with aripiprazole." 09/01/2008 - "Aripiprazole in the treatment of primary delusional parasitosis."
5.	Pimozide (Orap)FDA Link 02/01/2014 - "Pimozide: parasitosis (delusional)." 12/01/1994 - "Delusional parasitosis has been described as a rare syndrome, often involving elderly women who respond poorly to treatment except to pimozide. " 03/01/1993 - "The possible relevance of this to the established use of pimozide in delusional parasitosis is briefly discussed." 10/01/1989 - "A case of delusional parasitosis is presented in which a patient with classic symptoms of six years' duration responded to pimozide. " 04/01/1978 - "Successful treatment with pimozide of delusional parasitosis."
6.	Clozapine (Clozaril)FDA LinkGeneric 09/01/2022 - "Clozapine-Induced Reversible Pisa Syndrome in a Patient With Delusional Parasitosis." 05/01/2012 - "Secondary delusional parasitosis treated successfully with a combination of clozapine and citalopram."
7.	Quetiapine Fumarate (Seroquel)FDA Link 09/01/2008 - "We report a case of delusional parasitosis in an elderly man, in which the treatment with low doses of quetiapine induced the complete remission of the syndrome, without any considerable side effects. " 05/01/2022 - "A Case of Delusional Parasitosis With Folie à Deux Treated With Low-Dose Quetiapine." 09/01/2008 - "Efficacy and safety of quetiapine treatment for delusional parasitosis: experience in an elderly patient."
8.	Citalopram FDA LinkGeneric 05/01/2012 - "Secondary delusional parasitosis treated successfully with a combination of clozapine and citalopram."
9.	Olanzapine (Zyprexa)FDA Link 12/01/2007 - "Primary delusional parasitosis treated with olanzapine." 05/01/2008 - "Successful treatment of delusional disorder of the somatic type or "delusional parasitosis" with olanzapine." 03/01/2006 - "Olanzapine is an atypical antipsychotic agent that can be used as a first-line agent in delusional parasitosis as a safer therapeutic option without a specialized monitoring regimen." 03/01/2006 - "We describe 3 patients who were diagnosed as having delusional parasitosis that was successfully treated with a recently Food and Drug Administration-approved atypical antipsychotic agent, olanzapine (5 mg/d). " 03/01/2023 - "RCT-derived evidence supports the use of antidepressants in trichotillomania (sertraline and clomipramine), pathologic skin picking (fluoxetine), pathologic nail biting and dermatitis from compulsive hand washing (clomipramine or desipramine); antipsychotics in trichotillomania (olanzapine) and delusional parasitosis (pimozide); N-acetyl cysteine in trichotillomania and skin picking. "
10.	Paliperidone Palmitate FDA Link 06/01/2015 - "Paliperidone depot: another treatment option for delusional parasitosis." 12/01/2014 - "Paliperidone: another treatment option for delusional parasitosis." 01/01/2011 - "Primary delusional parasitosis treated effectively with paliperidone." 04/01/2009 - "Secondary delusional parasitosis treated with paliperidone."

Therapies and Procedures

1.	Therapeutics 01/01/2021 - "A comprehensive entomological survey and evaluation of the efficacy of different therapies on a suspected delusional parasitosis case." 01/01/1998 - "Dermatologists and psychiatrists can work together to develop treatment protocols that minimize risk and maximize therapy for patients with psychogenic parasitosis." 07/15/1989 - "The results indicate that an accurate psychiatric differential diagnosis is of great importance for the psychopharmacological therapy of patients suffering from delusional parasitosis. " 04/28/2007 - "To the best of our knowledge, no cases of psychogenic parasitosis occurring during interferon therapy have been described in the literature. " 11/01/2008 - "We report a case of pellagra manifesting with delusional parasitosis in a man whose delusion resolved rapidly after he started niacin-augmentation therapy. "
2.	Renal Dialysis (Hemodialysis) 07/01/2015 - "[Delusional parasitosis or Ekbom Syndrome in an elderly hemodialysis patient]." 05/01/2012 - "Delusional parasitosis: a rare cause of pruritus in hemodialysis patients."
3.	Withholding Treatment 10/01/2011 - "Patients with delusional infestation (delusional parasitosis) often require prolonged treatment as recurrence of symptoms after cessation of treatment is common: an observational study."
4.	Peritoneal Dialysis 05/01/2011 - "We report the case of a 75-year-old Chinese lady that presented delusional parasitosis with visual hallucinations four months after starting peritoneal dialysis. "
5.	Drug Therapy (Chemotherapy) 07/15/1989 - "[Drug therapy of delusional parasitosis. "