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Health providers induced iatrogenic delusions of infestation
Authors Shah PR, Cusick E, Nousari Y, Sandoz A, Tausk F
Received 10 June 2019
Accepted for publication 3 September 2019
Published 11 September 2019 Volume 2019:12 Pages 679—681
DOI https://doi.org/10.2147/CCID.S218894
Checked for plagiarism Yes
Review by Single-blind
Peer reviewers approved by Dr Cristina Weinberg
Peer reviewer comments 2
Editor who approved publication: Dr Jeffrey Weinberg
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, USA
Correspondence: Francisco Tausk
Department of Dermatology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
Tel +1 410 245 1735
Email Francisco_Tausk@URMC.Rochester.edu
Abstract: 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
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