The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced today that it is launching a study to learn about an unexplained condition that causes people to feel as if they have foreign substances growing from their bodies.
People with the condition, referred to as Morgellons disease, say they have fibers and other inorganic material growing out of their skin.
“We earnestly want to learn more about this unexplained illness, which affects the lives of those who suffer from it,” said Dr. Michele Pearson, principal investigator leading the study for the CDC, in a press release. “Those who suffer have questions, and we want to help them.”
“We have a team of epidemiologists, laboratorians and pathologists to carry out the study,” Pearson said.
The study will be conducted in conjunction with Kaiser Permanente’s Northern California Division of Research. For more information, CLICK HERE to visit the CDC’s Unexplained Dermopathy Web site.
In 2006, a number of Morgellons sufferers told ABC News in interviews that when they consulted doctors, they received diagnoses they called wrong or dismissive. Brandi Koch, the wife of former Major League Baseball player Billy Koch, said that she felt as if she were living in a horror movie, claiming she had colored fibers coming out of her skin.
Koch, of Clearwater Beach, Fla., said that her life was good until one day in the shower when she noticed something strange — tiny fibers running through her skin.
“The fibers look like hair, and they’re different colors,” Koch said.
Koch said she knows that what she experienced “sounds crazy,” but it’s true. “If I had a family member call me up and say, ‘I have this stuff,’ I’d say, ‘I’m sending a straitjacket over. You need some help,'” she said.
Anne Dill described a similar condition. Looking at Dill’s life in Florida, she seemed to be living the American dream — her three daughters excelled in sports and were straight-A students.
But life in the Dill household was far from idyllic. Anne’s 40-year-old husband, Tom, died in January 2006, and she believes his death was due to a contagious illness that has infected her entire family.
Dill described her family’s skin: “There’s this fibrous material. It’s in layers.” Dill said the skin on their hands was particularly bad, very swollen and itchy, and said it felt as if bugs were crawling underneath the skin.
Consulting Doctors
Dr. Greg Smith of Gainesville, Ga., has been a pediatrician for the past 30 years. He claimed that a fiber was coming out of his big toe, and he had video footage to prove it.
“It felt like somebody stuck a pin in my toe and wiggled it, and it just continued to hurt,” Smith told ABC News in 2006.
He said he never thought he had bugs. “I’ve certainly had those crawling sensations, and the fibers which come out of the skin are really bizarre, and really odd.”
Smith was handed over to a hospital psychiatrist when he went to the emergency room complaining of a fiber in his eye. He admits that he, too, would be skeptical if a patient came to him with the same story.
“I would wonder if they’d taken their medicine that day. It makes no sense. It’s totally bizarre. It’s something that — just telling the story is so outlandish on the face of it — that no one would believe it,” Smith said. Dill’s doctor told her to stop scratching, even though many of her sores were in places she could not reach.
Koch went to the Mayo Clinic, where doctors didn’t believe that the fibers she’d brought them had grown from her body.
“I saw the infectious disease doctor, and I showed him some samples that I had and he snickered,” she said. “I can’t go through another doctor blowing me off or looking at me like I’m crazy. I know I’m not.”
Dr. Vincent DeLeo, chief of dermatology at New York’s St. Lukes-Roosevelt Medical Center, weighed in on what he’d say to someone who came to him with this condition. “I don’t think this is any different than many patients I’ve seen who have excoriations and believe that there is something in their skin causing this,” he told ABC News in 2006.
DeLeo said the open lesions were most likely a result of scratching the skin.
Relying on Your Own Research
But biologist Mary Leitao refused to accept the medical skepticism surrounding Morgellons.
Leitao’s son, Drew, was just 2 years old when Leitao noticed an odd sore on his lip that would not heal.
“He very simply said ‘bugs,’ and he pointed to his lips,” said Leitao.
Leitao never expected to find herself at the center of a medical storm. But when her son complained about the strange sore, the biologist, who once ran the electron microscope at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, did what any scientist would do. She took a closer look.
“What I saw were bundles of fibers, *** of fibers,” Leitao says. “There was red and blue.” Even stranger, they glowed under ultraviolet light.
Armed with research, Leitao took her son to a doctor at one of the country’s leading hospitals. He dismissed her tale of fibers and wrote to her pediatrician, saying that her son needed Vaseline for his lips and that his mother needed a thorough psychiatric evaluation.
Undaunted, Leitao began poring through medical literature looking for clues. What she discovered was a 17th-century reference to a strange disease with “harsh hairs” called “Morgellons.”
She named the strange fibers Morgellons disease and put the information on a Web site, Morgellons.org. At the time of her interview in 2006, more than 4,500 people had contacted Leitao, claiming they had Morgellons-type symptoms. The name stuck, and the disease was featured on the television show “ER.”
But do these fibers grow from inside the body, as Morgellons patients believe, or do they come from the external environment — a kind of lint — as the medical skeptics say?
Searching for an Answer
Forensic scientist Ron Pogue at the Tulsa Police Crime Lab in Oklahoma checked a Morgellons sample against known fibers in the FBI’s national database. “No, no match at all. So this is some strange stuff,” Pogue said in 2006. He thought the skeptics were wrong. “This isn’t lint. This is not a commercial fiber. It’s not.”
The lab’s director, Mark Boese, said the fibers are “consistent with something that the body may be producing.” He added that, “These fibers cannot be manmade and do not come from a plant. This could be a byproduct of a biological organism.”
Dill said she looks at pictures of her family and finds them unrecognizable. “My kids have to see not only their dad but their mom disintegrating, and that’s gotta be really scary.”
While they wait for evidence that they hope will convince the medical community to take them seriously, some Morgellon’s sufferers wear pink bracelets that say, simply, “Fortitude.”
Pictures of Morgellons Disea
Pictures can be viewed at the following location: Morgellon’s Disease Pictures
Hope you enjoyed the story and pictures of Morgellons Disease
I have been a Morgellon’s sufferer for just short of 2 years. My di-
sease is replete with well-documented symptoms. My house and cat are
also infected. I had to give up teaching and all “normal life.”
Rather than bore you all with the details (real sufferers know them all
too well), I offer this: Morgellons disease is a multiple and systemic infectious infestation (MSII, for short). It “transitions” frequently
and has the ability to organize/activate pathogens that, prior to in-
festation, were probably benign. That is why, demographically speak- ing, there are some differences in the types/kinds of invaders.
I feel the components of the disease are: bacterial, viral, fungal, &
parasitic. The definitive source is unknown, as is the cure. The in-
festation displays a “collective intelligence” that add to the complex-
ity of the affliction.
My formal, carefully-crafted, “delusional parasitosis” diagnosis came
from an infectious disease doctor at Mayo Clinic (Rochester, MN). I
had 3 appointments with her. I could tell 5 minutes into my first ap-
pointment that she was “compromised” and had heard of these same sym-
toms previously. I asked her to do a skin scraping or punch biopsy of
my infected scalp or spine–she refused. The tests she did order were
routine and “skated around” the issue. The samples I brought to her
were declared “household fauna/flora” (the same diagnosis rendered by
the MN Dept. of Health) and the head of the ‘U’ of MN Entomology Dept.
I have been treated by Mayo Clinic previously–starting at age 5. Their
intervention in the health and well being of my entire family has been
so professional and compassionate. NOT THIS TIME! I was treated with
disdain, arrogance, and derision. In other words, I was accorded no
credibility or respect.
The larger question here is: WHERE IS THE NORMAL “MAYO” RESPONSE WHICH
WOULD, AT THE VERY LEASE, HAVE TRIGGERED CONCERN, COMPASSION, AND
INTELLECTUAL CURIOUSITY? Because of the universality of the DP diagno-
sis throughout our country, I can only surmise that doctors have been
“put on notice” about this affliction and have been told to render a
DP diagnosis. They are attempting to destroy our credibility. Thus, we
are doubly victimized–first with the disease itself and secondly with
destruction of our credibility.
One of the leading Morgellons researchers told me on the phone a few
weeks ago that there are 93 documented symptoms related to this di-
sease. She also said that many involved in this disease are partici-
pating in a game of “intentional confusion.” My own experience with
doctors, dematologists, infectious disease doctors leads me to believe
they are, collectively, “creating a false reality” regarding Morgellons(and that includes the CDC with its “unexplained dermopathy” tag).
I agree with Pat Van Niekerk from South Africa. We need to organize
our ranks to bring about his desired “urgent and intense focus world-
wide.”
To all M. Sufferers: Stay positive and persevere!
This is purely hogwash. I have looked at my skin through my son’s toy “Eyeclopse” which is essentially a microscope. I have seen the same “fibers” that appear in the pictures on this website. These are nothing more than veins, arteries, and capillaries that are too small for the human eye to see without magnification.
I am a genuine MD and am trying to learn something about this disease from those who have it.
I am chiming in because I want to warn everyone NOT to consume large amounts of apricot or apple seeds, as Chakra advised on 2/13/09. If you eat enough apple seeds, it will literally kill you. You will be dead, and your friends will think you committed suicide because you had Morgellons.
This poison in apple and apricot seeds is a poison made naturally by these fruits. It is not a result of the known over use of pesticides. If you eat enough seeds from completely organic apples from farms that have always been organic, you will die. The same goes for apricots.
We all know about the Angel of Death Amanita mushroom, but not everyone realizes there are equally deadly poisons in our friendly local fruit.
I agree with everyone on this blog who is calling for more research and proven cures. And I would not dismiss “the urine cure” so lightly. There really may be something in it.
Hello,
Thak you Patrick for your valuable inputs. I have also read recently about the involvement of Agrobacterium in this disease and makes it a more complex issue to solve. But from my little idea of involvement of the fungi and some small insects causing external lesions, I was thinking that controlling the fungi may atleast control the external apsect of the problem, since at present the medical professionals are not even ready to acknowledge the existance of the disease.But your point is well appreciated and for a proper cure one has to go down to the bacterium level.
With regards,
Bharathyeju.
Baratheyaju,
It is clear that you are not suffering from this horrible affliction.
Your advice about vinegar is obviously well-meant but please listen to this: The State University of New York has done a controlled study of Morgellon’s sufferers, analysing skin fibres and samples and comparing them to samples from healthy individuals. They found a vector called Agrobacterium only in the Morgellon samples and none in the healthy individuals. Agrobacterium is the vector used for introducing modified genes into plant foods such as corn and maize, which is known as GM foods. (Genetically Modified). As you can see, this is a disease which is systemic, and will require perhaps the cracking of the DNA Receptor Code of the Agrobacterium, as I understand it. By comparison, your vinegar – and all other ‘cures’ – is similar to telling someone with HIV to eat garlic.
THERE ARE NO CURES FOR MORGELLON’S AT THIS POINT IN TIME…! So all of us should save our money and not buy into the bullshit of quacks and crazies, and snake-oil peddlars . We are awaiting further info from the Center for Disease Control who are now researching the Agrobacterium angle. Let’s hope they will be able to crack this thing soon, because it can definitely drive healthy people into a state of lunacy.
I have always been an extremely healthy person until I got Morgellon’s To non-Morgies, I just wish to say that it isn’t just one or two fibres that come out of one’s skin, but literally hundreds and hundreds. I have found a way to bring them out but they replicate almost immediately. I am also getting the ‘Delusional’ angle from Dermatologists here in South Africa, who refuse to just let me show them how these things are exiting, and as a result the overall awareness that should be there by now has not come around.
Also, as long as people disgorge their far-fetched ideas about this condition, the Medical Professions will not take us serious, and label us ‘crazy’. So please let’s stop al this sci-fi and other bullshit.
If you can admit that you are Neurotic, then I suggest you start reading the works of Dr. Arthur Janov (arthurjanov.com), and go for some real therapy in Los Angeles. It is, in my opinion, the only CURE for Neurosis. Good Luck Patrick
i dont know if this is relevant but i have similar symptoms that are not explained
it generally occurs late at night i wake with the feeling that a milion ants are crawling in my skin of m foot
then i get a huge blood blister on one toe which burst then it all goes awayfor several months
YOU may want to go to my website and look up mr common sense.
We have some great findings.
Much love,
Trisha
What is really scary for me was about Charlotte. Where the hell were her family and friends? Sounds like she’s dealing with this thing all by herself. I took care of my mom until she passed away in ’04.’
Charlotte is explaining to the best of her ability what these insects are doing to her. She is documenting it. Why is it no one tried to contact her or find out where she lived? You all should be ashamed of yourselves!
Couldn’t you tell that she was crying out for help?
You people are messed up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This sounds to me like some Frankenstein experiment gone awry. I watched the video and the doctor describing it sounds like she’s saying it’s polyester that can grow in a human body and control behavior?
Truly frightening.
Something I find very interesting is the story near the beginning of these blogs by the licensed psychologist named C. Breuer. I have suffered from Morgellons since 1995 and when I say suffered I mean it. I was living in Somas California in Ventura County at the time on a 13 acre orange grove. One day while living there I had a physical confrontation with a gentleman that led to us wrestling in the middle of a large berry vine with thorns. I had these thorns imbedded in the back of my neck just below my head and inside of my right forearm. The thorn tips were very thin flexible and green (living) causing small portions of the thorn to remain impaled in the skin. For the first few days these imbedded thorn tips were about the size of an insect bite, somewhat painful (stinging) inflamed (reddish pink in color) and itchy. After about two weeks the injuries healed and there were no signs of scaring or infection. Suddenly in the same locations these pimple like bumps appeared “showing signs edema and extreme irritation” it was like the thorn tips were being rejected by the skin and pushed out… at least that’s what I thought at the time. Weeks went by and no matter what I did these locations would not heal and over time became extremely sensitive to say the least. The locations on my forearm ultimately healed after a few months but left deep scaring. The lesions on my neck remained and started appearing on my cheek then across the bearded section of my face. The pain from these lesions was excruciating as they oozed a clear puss that would harden to the resemblance of glass. There were also small pods coming from the locations like small seeds clear and some black in color. I suffered from these lesions for about 7 months and one day poof they healed and were gone just like that. Unfortunately that was only the beginning as soon after I developed a “chronic” cough followed by severe heartburn, muscle fatigue, blurred vision, brain fog and short term memory loss. This lasted years and resulted in the loss of my job and medical insurance… not that that helped as there were not any doctors that could find the cause of any of these illnesses. Years of agony passed and the cough and heartburn suddenly disappeared and shortly after the lesions reappeared on my face and neck with the same symptoms as before but now included these fibers that were blue, red and clear. One day I looked at them under a microscope and noticed that they were actually living! Moving around like a worm. They have since migrated to the top of my head where now reside… they seem to feel comfortable there. Another odd thing is that my daughter who was born in 2000 was diagnosed with a hereditary type of Temporal Lobe Epilepsy to spite the fact no one on either side of our families has ever been diagnosed with any type of Epilepsy or seizure disorder. I truly thank God for her because you see if not for her I would surly taken my own life long ago.
A. Randazzo