A Gut Feeling: Delusional Parasitosis

Aims: Delusional parasitosis, first described by Karl Ekbom in the 1930s, is a rare psychiatric disorder characterised by a persistent, false belief of parasitic infestation. The condition is typically classified into three categories: primary, secondary and organic. Primary delusional parasitosis a...

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Main Authors: Chris Joseph, Mario Lepore
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Cambridge University Press 2025-06-01
Series:BJPsych Open
Online Access:https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2056472425107369/type/journal_article
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author Chris Joseph
Mario Lepore
author_facet Chris Joseph
Mario Lepore
author_sort Chris Joseph
collection DOAJ
description Aims: Delusional parasitosis, first described by Karl Ekbom in the 1930s, is a rare psychiatric disorder characterised by a persistent, false belief of parasitic infestation. The condition is typically classified into three categories: primary, secondary and organic. Primary delusional parasitosis arises in the absence of any other psychiatric or medical condition, while secondary and organic forms are associated with underlying psychiatric disorders or organic diseases. Here, we present the case of a 50-year-old male with a history of crack cocaine use, previously unknown to mental health services, presenting to our drug treatment centre with delusions of infestation.
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institution Kabale University
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publishDate 2025-06-01
publisher Cambridge University Press
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series BJPsych Open
spelling doaj-art-2ccee5f49a3a4ed88f44f00516e32f402025-08-20T03:51:43ZengCambridge University PressBJPsych Open2056-47242025-06-0111S306S30610.1192/bjo.2025.10736A Gut Feeling: Delusional ParasitosisChris JosephMario Lepore0South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, United KingdomAims: Delusional parasitosis, first described by Karl Ekbom in the 1930s, is a rare psychiatric disorder characterised by a persistent, false belief of parasitic infestation. The condition is typically classified into three categories: primary, secondary and organic. Primary delusional parasitosis arises in the absence of any other psychiatric or medical condition, while secondary and organic forms are associated with underlying psychiatric disorders or organic diseases. Here, we present the case of a 50-year-old male with a history of crack cocaine use, previously unknown to mental health services, presenting to our drug treatment centre with delusions of infestation.https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2056472425107369/type/journal_article
spellingShingle Chris Joseph
Mario Lepore
A Gut Feeling: Delusional Parasitosis
BJPsych Open
title A Gut Feeling: Delusional Parasitosis
title_full A Gut Feeling: Delusional Parasitosis
title_fullStr A Gut Feeling: Delusional Parasitosis
title_full_unstemmed A Gut Feeling: Delusional Parasitosis
title_short A Gut Feeling: Delusional Parasitosis
title_sort gut feeling delusional parasitosis
url https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2056472425107369/type/journal_article
work_keys_str_mv AT chrisjoseph agutfeelingdelusionalparasitosis
AT mariolepore agutfeelingdelusionalparasitosis
AT chrisjoseph gutfeelingdelusionalparasitosis
AT mariolepore gutfeelingdelusionalparasitosis