As the body's largest organ, the skin accounts for 16% of the total body mass of an adult human. Since it covers our entire body, it is our first defense against harmful microbes. This also makes this organ vulnerable to various infections, many of which are treatable. However, there are also mysterious illnesses, such as Morgellons disease, with unexplainable causes.
What is Morgellons Disease?
Morgellons disease is a controversial and poorly understood medical condition where unusual thread-like black, white, red, or blue fibers appear on the skin or protrude from it. People with this condition report filaments of various colors that grow from the skin and biting, stinging, or crawling sensations.
Sir Thomas Browne first coined the term Morgellons in 1674 in his monograph entitled "De vermiculis capillaribus infantium". In this written work, Browne described an affected child with critical breakouts of hair-like extrusions from the back. Since its first description, the disease has faded into obscurity until 2002, when the mother of a child with a similar condition resurrected the word and began the Morgellons Research Foundation.
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Illusion or Infection?
For many decades, Morgellons disease has been assumed to be related to delusional parasitosis, a psychiatric condition where a person mistakenly believes they are infected with a skin parasite.
Some medical experts claim that Morgan's disease is a physical condition. Doctors may call it an "unexplained dermopathy," a skin condition that happens without a known reason. Other medical professionals dub it a "fiber disease."
Because of the mystery surrounding the cause of Morgellons disease, there are no standard treatment guidelines for this illness. Treatments may depend on what the doctor believes is the underlying cause.
For instance, antibiotic therapy may be recommended if the physician believes the condition is due to a bacterial infection or tick-borne illness. If the health professional believes that the symptoms result from a mental health condition, they then may prescribe psychiatric medication, like antipsychotic or anti-anxiety drugs. Talk therapy or cognitive behavioral therapy may also be recommended.
According to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2012, no pathogen causes Morgellons disease. This condition is psychological and cannot spread from one person to another.
However, a 2018 review of relevant studies reveals that Morgellons may have a more physical cause, which can make it contagious. In this review, the researchers noted that the fibers usually present in the lesions are not textiles but originate from cells more profound in the skin. Furthermore, they also showed a correlation between Lyme disease and Morgellon disease, indicating that an infectious agent could be responsible for the condition. To support their claim, they noted that dogs and cattle can develop skin lesions related to similar bacteria.
Despite new research stating the possible connection between Lyme disease and Morgellons disease, a 2019 study reveals that most healthcare professionals believe that it is a psychological condition. Due to the persisting mystery surrounding this condition, more research is needed to confirm the nature of Morgellons disease.
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