NPDN 2007 Meeting - Similarities Among Complaints and Samples From Clients With Suspected Delusionary Parasitosis: The OSU Plant Pest Diagnostic Clinic Experience

NPDN National Meeting 2007

Poster Abstract

Similarities Among Complaints and Samples From Clients With Suspected Delusionary Parasitosis: The OSU Plant Pest Diagnostic Clinic Experience

Authors: BARBARA BLOETSCHER

Affiliations: NCPDN

Delusionary parasitosis has been described as a condition in which a person suffers from the illusion that his/her body is infested with an insect or mite. Individuals become overwhelmed with the sensation of a tiny creature biting or burrowing into their skin and scalp. Clients have either been referred to the Ohio State University's C. Wayne Ellett Plant and Pest Diagnostic Clinic (PPDC) to identify these pest(s), or they have found the Clinic by searching the internet. Convinced that they are not crazy, clients send a wide variety of items thought to contain the pest. Despite the voluminous samples submitted however, most samples contained no arthropod. Instead, samples contained mostly skin, fabric fibers and inorganic debris. Clinic cases showed that females and people over 50 years of age submitted more samples. It was also noted that more samples were received in May (11%) and September (14%) and in the first two quarters of the moon phase.

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