• Mirna Situm, Iva Dediol, Marija Buljan, Maja Vurnek Živković, and Danijel Buljan.
• Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Sestre milosrdnice University Hospital Center, Zagreb, Croatia. msitum@kbsm.hr
• Acta Dermatovenerol Croat. 2011 Jan 1; 19 (2): 110-6.

AbstractDelusions of parasitosis (DP) is a primary psychiatric disorder, a type of monosymptomatic hypochondriac psychosis in which patients believe that 'bugs' or 'parasites' have infested their skin or that they have even spread into their visceral organs. Patients with DP usually approach different medical specialists, mostly dermatologists and primary care physicians because of symptoms presenting as crawling under their skin. Therefore, the exact prevalence of DP is unknown. It is believed that it is a rare disorder but different studies indicate that the prevalence is greater than presented. The etiology of this disorder is still unclear. Patients with DP come to a physician with a stereotypic history. Usually the patient has previously addressed many other different specialists and symptoms are usually present for several months to years. The main cutaneous symptom is crawling, biting and pruritus due to 'burrowing of parasites, insects or bugs' under the skin. Patients with DP are rare but can be very challenging for making the correct diagnosis and for the treatment as well. It is essential to distinguish primary from secondary disorder since the approach to these patients is different. Dermatologists who have good knowledge in diagnosis, both dermatologic and psychodermatologic, and who dare prescribe antipsychotics after consulting liaison-psychiatrist, can have good results in treating patients with DP. When treating patients with DP, multidisciplinary approach by collaboration between a dermatologist and a psychiatrist is necessary to provide complete and meaningful treatment for these patients.

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