Health providers induced iatrogenic delusions of infestation

• Main Authors: Shah PR, Cusick E, Nousari Y, Sandoz A, Tausk F
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dove Medical Press 2019-09-01
• Series: Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology
• Subjects: Delusions of parasitosis; Delusions of Infestation; Factitious dermatosis; Psychodermatology; Dermatology
• Online Access: https://www.dovepress.com/health-providers-induced-iatrogenic-delusions-of-infestation-peer-reviewed-article-CCID
• ISSN: 1178-7015

Pooja R Shah,1 Elizabeth Cusick,1 Yasmine Nousari,2 Andrea Sandoz,1 Francisco Tausk1 1Department of Dermatology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY 14642, USA; 2Psychology Department, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467, USACorrespondence: Francisco TauskDepartment of Dermatology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY 14642, USATel [phone]Email [e-mail]: Patients that suffer from factitial dermatosis mutilate their skin, often lacking any consciousness of self-injury, attributing the resulting lesions to spontaneous development. The case hereby described shows how the health providers’ interventions led a patient from a baseline undiagnosed factitious disorder to frank delusions of infestation with Mycobacterium Kansasii, and a relentless search for antibiotic treatments. We highlight the need for educating health practitioners on the characteristics of psycho-cutaneous disorders.Keywords: delusions of parasitosis, delusions of infestation, factitious dermatosis, psychodermatology, dermatology