Ekbom's Syndrome: Worms of the Mind

Abstract

Delusional parasitosis (DP), also known as Ekbom syndrome, is a rare, monosymptomatic psychosis where the person has an unshakable belief (i.e., delusion) of being infested with parasites. A detailed activity of the offending parasite like crawling, biting, burrowing is often given by the patients. It is commonly observed among patients over the age of 50. International Classification of Diseases (ICD) 10th revision defines this disorder as "delusional disorder." We are presenting a case report of a patient suffering from DP, who was successfully treated on atypical antipsychotic olanzapine, together with psychoeducation and counseling.