Doctor, You Must Examine My Creature Collection!: A Case Report of Delusional Infestation

    June 2022 in “ Cureus ”
    Philip R. Cohen
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    TLDR A man wrongly believed he had parasites, showing that delusional infestation can affect men and is often linked with other psychiatric issues, but can be treated with antipsychotics.
    A 63-year-old man with a history of hypertension and hyperlipidemia was diagnosed with delusional infestation, a psychiatric condition where patients believe they are infested with organisms or pathogens without any medical evidence. The patient also had mild seborrheic dermatitis. Despite no evidence of lice or other parasites, the patient insisted on treatment for lice. Delusional infestation is most common in middle-aged and older women, but this case shows it can also occur in men. Diagnosis can take months to decades, with patients often consulting multiple healthcare providers. Treatment typically involves low-dose antipsychotic medications. In a study, 74% of 54 patients with delusional infestation had coexisting or underlying psychiatric disorders. Another study found that 60% of 449 patients had underlying psychiatric diagnoses. Remission occurs in 60-100% of patients treated with low-dose antipsychotic medication, but relapse has been observed in up to 25% of treated patients.
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