Abstract
Morgellons disease is an emerging multisystem illness characterized by unexplained dermopathy and unusual skin- associated filament production. Despite evidence demonstrating that an infectious process is involved and that lesions are not self-inflicted, many medical practitioners continue to claim that this illness is delusional. We present relevant clinical observations combined with chemical and light microscopic studies of material collected from three patients with Morgellons disease. Our study demonstrates that Morgellons disease is not delusional and that skin lesions with unusual fibers are not self-inflicted or psychogenic. We provide chemical, light microscopic and immunohistological evidence that filaments associated with this condition originate from human epithelial cells, supporting the hypothesis that the fibers are composed of keratin and are products of keratinocytes.
Highlights
Morgellons disease (MD) is an emerging dermatological disorder and multisystem illness
Normal hair texture is often reported by Morgellons patients [1,10]. These MD patterns have been recognized in prior studies [1,2] and we propose a classification of localized MD versus disseminated MD based on the distribution of the dermopathy
MD filaments and bovine digital dermatitis (BDD) filaments appear to be similar in formation at the cellular level, both originating from keratinocytes in the stratum spinosum or stratum basale
Summary
Morgellons disease (MD) is an emerging dermatological disorder and multisystem illness. The disease is characterized by unexplained dermopathy associated with formation of unusual filaments found both subcutaneously and emerging from spontaneously appearing, slow-healing skin lesions [1]. Filaments associated with MD appear beneath unbroken skin [1,2], demonstrating that they are not self-implanted. Filaments have been observed protruding from and attached to a matrix of epithelial cells [3]. This finding demonstrates that the filaments are of human cellular origin and are not textile fibers. A recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed that these filaments have a protein composition that is consistent with keratin [6]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
