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Case Reports
. 2011 Jul 28:2011:bcr0420114106.
doi: 10.1136/bcr.04.2011.4106.

Self inflicted corneal abrasions due to delusional parasitosis

Adeel Meraj  1 , Amad U Din, Lynn Larsen, Barry I Liskow
Affiliations
Case Reports

Self inflicted corneal abrasions due to delusional parasitosis

Adeel Meraj et al. BMJ Case Rep. .

Abstract

The authors report a case of self inflicted bilateral corneal abrasions and skin damage due to ophthalmic and cutaneous delusional parasitosis. A male in his 50s presented with a 10 year history of believing that parasites were colonizing his skin and biting into his skin and eyes. The patient had received extensive medical evaluations that found no evidence that symptoms were due to a medical cause. He was persistent in his belief and had induced bilateral corneal abrasions and skin damage by using heat lamps and hair dryers in an attempt to disinfect his body. The patient was treated with olanzapine along with treatment for his skin and eyes. His delusional belief system persisted but no further damage to his eyes and skin was noted on initial follow-up.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests None.

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