The false and fixed belief of being infected/infested by one or many different living organisms, such as insects or parasites, is not a common condition. Although several cases have been recorded since the end of the nineteenth century, it was the Swedish psychiatrist Karl-Axel Ekbom who first systematically studied the presenile syndrome of delusional dermatozoid parasitic infestation in 1938 ...

Skin-related delusional diseases with unspecific status and/or status without dermatological findings, among others ‘dermatological delusion’, are categorized as ‘delusional disorders’ (ICD-10: F 22.0; DSM-IV 297.1). A delusional disorder is diagnosed when (according to DSM-IV) the following criteria are fulfilled: A. Non-bizarre delusions (i.e. regarding situations not out of the realm of poss...

In his textbook from 1838, Esquirol made the first comprehensive psychopathological description of paranoia, which he labeled partial psychosis. This was a condition with encapsulated, well organized, and persistent delusions. These are defended with a great deal of emotions and sharp argument. The individual appears quite convincing, especially because he or she otherwise behaves rationally. T...

shared psychotic disorder also known as folie a dues is thought to occur in persons who live close together, so that delusions of the primarily ill patient are transferred to the partner. a case of shared paranoid psychotic disorder, with primary diagnosis of persecutory delusional disorder in the husband is described. the delusion and its consequent safety behaviors were so strong that led to ...

We report a case of infanticide of a 4-month-old infant boy by starvation and dehydration. The parents were both charged with murder. The mother suffered from schizoaffective disorder, and the father was diagnosedwith shared psychotic disorder (folie à deux) by forensic assessment (T.R.). We describe the couple’s history, including a summary of their delusional beliefs, based on police reports,...

Accessible online at: www.karger.com/psp In delusional parasitosis a patient believes that he is infested with parasites or other small living organisms even though there is no supporting medical evidence. The disorder has been known for well over 100 years and has been given many different names. It is quite rare, occurring in 20 out of 10,000 psychiatric admissions [1–3], but the majority of ...

BACKGROUND Persons with schizophrenia and related disorders may be particularly sensitive to a number of determinants of service use, including those related with illness, socio-demographic characteristics and organizational factors. The objective of this study is to identify factors associated with outpatient contacts at community mental health services of patients with schizophrenia or relate...

INTRODUCTION Delusional parasitosis is a rare psychiatric disorder which often presents with dermatological problems. Delusional parasitosis, which involves urethral self-instrumentation and foreign body insertion, is exceptionally rare. This is the first case report to date that provides a detailed presentation of the urological manifestation of delusional parasitosis with complications associ...

OBJECTIVES To examine the dilemmas for children, family, and mental health professionals posed by the presence of a delusional parent in a family, including someone with induced psychotic disorder (IPD); to identify frequently unrecognized problems; and to propose practical suggestions for professionals. METHOD The pertinent literature on the effects of delusional parents on children, familie...