Delusional parasitosis (DP) is a rare psychiatric (mental) disorder. A person with this condition strongly believes that they're infected with a ...WhatIsDelusionalParasitosis?MedicallyreviewedbyTimothyJ.Legg,Ph.D.,CRNP—WrittenbyNoreenIftikhar,MDonFebruary4,2020TypesSymptomsCausesDiagnosisTreatmentOutlookTakeawayShareonPinterestDelusionalparasitosis(DP)isararepsychiatric(mental)disorder.Apersonwiththisconditionstronglybelievesthatthey’reinfectedwithaparasite.However,thisisn’tthecase—theydon’thaveaparasiticinfectionofanykind.ThisillnessisalsocalledEkbomsyndromeordelusionsofparasitosis.Aparasiteisanorganismthatdependsonitshosttosurvive.Parasitescanincludemites,fleas,lice,worms,andspiders.Apersonwiththisconditioncan’tcontrolorstopthesethoughtsorbeliefs.They’renotchoosingtobelievetheyhaveaparasiticinfection.Aretheretypesofdelusionalparasitosis?Therearethreetypesofdelusionalparasitosis:Primarydelusionalparasitosis.Thisiswhenapersonhasonedelusionalbelief.It’samonosymptomatic,oronesymptom,illness.Secondarydelusionalparasitosis.Thisiswhenapersonalsohasothermentalhealthconditions,likedepression,dementia,obsessive-compulsivedisorder(OCD),bipolardisorder,post-traumaticstressdisorder(PTSD),orschizophrenia.Organicdelusionalparasitosis.Thiscanhappentosomeonewithotherconditionsorillnesses,likehypothyroidism,diabetes,heartdisease,vitaminB-12deficiency,cocaineaddiction,andmenopause.Whatarethesymptoms?Apersonwithdelusionalparasitosismayoftenseeadoctorordermatologist(skindoctor)fortreatment,insistingthattheyhaveaparasiticinfectioninsidetheirbodyorontheirskin.Theonlysignofdelusionalparasitosisinsomemaypeoplemaybetheirconvictionthattheyhaveaparasiteinsidethem.Theymayalsobelievethattheirfurniture,home,orsurroundingsarealsoinfestedwiththisparasite.Anothercommonsymptompeoplewithdelusionalparasitosisreportisacrawlingfeelingontheirskin.Themedicaltermforthisisformication.Somepeoplewiththisdisordermayalsohavesymptomslike:feelingsofitchinessorburningfeelingofnumbnesscomplainingthattheyhaveacraw