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
why is the Morgelons forum message board closed? Or is this a message board and is this site the way to communicated with others who have Morgellons or have a family member as I do with Morgellons? My daughter is 31 and has all the same symptoms and I don’t know what to do for her. I have made her appts with allergist and dermatologists but assume they will think it is all in her head and not pay much attention to her samples? Why is it when she calls me to come over and see something when I come it’s not longer there?
Pls someone respond and if interested give out your emails address so we an communicate.
Thanks and sorry for you all – I think I’d have a heart attack due to being so terrified. Bless you all.
My 31 year old believes she has morgellons and everything she says matches exactly what the symptoms for morgellons is. Can I contact any of you for help or addition information – is there anything out there or dr. that has help? We just bought an air purifier but I will let daughter know that per one of the letters on this website – air purifier makes them multiply.
Please help and I need to talked with someone on this subject. Please email me.
Thanks so much
Melinda
I THOUGHT I HAD BEEN THRU THE WORST LIFE COULD HAVE DEALT ME, UNTIL THIS, AND NOW, I SEE THAT I WAS WRONG, I SPEND EVERY DAY OF MY LIFE, BEGGING GOD TO NOT LET ME WAKE UP ON THIS SIDE OF LIFE ANYMORE, I HAVE THOUGHT OF EVERY WAY TO JUST END LIFE, IF THIS IS HOW I HAVE TO LIVE, BUT THE REASON I DONT IS, I HAVE TWO BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN THAT REMIND ME EVERYDAY, THAT I HAVE TO KEEP ON LIVING FOR THEM, AND IM GOING TO DO MY BEST TO KEEP ON KEEPING FOR THEM, I JUST HAVE TO LOOK UP AND ASK, HOW MUCH SUFFERING DOES A HUMAN HAVE TO GO THRU, JUST TO SURVIVE??? IM TIRED OF THE THINGS CRAWLING ALL OVER ME, DRIVING ME CRAZY, KEEPING ME FROM DAILY LIFE, IM TIRED OF THEM MAKING MY SKIN FEEL AS IF HOT LAVA HAS BEEN POURED ON ME, ITS LIKE IVE BEEN PUT INTO MY OWN PRISON, AND THEY ARE MY KEEPER, IF I UPSET MY BODY OR MY SKIN TO MUCH, THEY GET MAD AND THEY RAGE WAR AGAINST MY BODY AND I SUFFER, AND IT WEARS ME DOWN, AND IM IN PAIN AND MISERY, I CANT GO OUT AND LIVE DAILY LIFE ANY MORE, I CANT PLAY WITH MY KIDS, I CANT HOLD A STEADY JOB, I CANT DO ANYTHING , EXCEPT SET AND WAIT, WELL, BASICALLY WAIT AND SEE WHAT THESE THINGS WILL OR WONT DO OR WHAT THEIR FUTURE PLANS FOR ME ARE, BECAUSE THEY HAVE BASICALLY MOVED IN AND KICKED MY BUTT TO THE CURB, BUT ALL OF MY HOPE ISNT GONE, I STILL HAVE THEIR EVICTION NOTICE ON HAND, IM STILL LOOKING FOR A WAY TO KICK THEIR SORRY HIND ENDS OUT, THIS IS MY BODY, I WAS BORN WITH IT, IT WAS MINE FIRST, AND IM GOING TO FIND A WAY TO TAKE IT BACK, COME HELL OR HIGH WATER, OR THEY CAN JUST FIND ANOTHER HOST CAUSE THEY CANT LIVE IN SOMETHING THATS NOT ALIVE ITS SELF, EITHER I FIND A WAY TO EVICT THEM OR IM EVICTING MYSELF, THIS STUFF IS DRIVING ME OUT OF MY MIND, AND THIS IS MY LIFE, I HAVE A GOD GIVEN RIGHT TO LIVE, AND IM GOING TO TAKE IT BACK ONE WAY OR ANOTHER. I WISH ALL OF THE REST OF YOU THE BEST OF LUCK,,,,,,,,,,I WILL KEEP ALL OF YOU ALL IN MY PRAYERS GOD BLESS EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU ……….
We are almost sure that this is what my uncle has. It started about 3 years ago. He started talking about feeling things crawling under his skin. Then over time he started having soars appear on his skin. Next was the fibers, we thought they were worms. We have taken him to the doctor so many times. They tell us we are crazy and said we need mental help not medical. Now he locks himself in his room for days and no one sees him. He cant remember anything and he can barly think for himself. The depression has gotten so bad all he talks about is wanting to die. He is in constant pain and sleeps all the time. He has lost about 30 pounds and looks sickly thin. Now his wife it getting the same soars on her back and is having reports of the same type of pain. No doctor will listen to us! I am not a doctor but I am a senior nursing student and I know something is medically wrong. No one told us about this we just stumbled upon it the other day. He talks about things crawling under his skin all the time and then they come out of his skin. He just talks out of his head all the time now. Him and his wife say they are just waiting to die now because they cant take it any more and are tried of being told they are crazy. We dont know what to do. I have a feeling we are going to lose my aunt and uncle if they cant find help.
I have been dealing with Morgellons for 21 years now. Whilst there is no cure for this mental punishing life degrading disease at this time there is more and more hope and help coming forward as more and more people come down with this disease including scientists and doctors themselves an army of knowledge and studying is taking place not by the mainstream doctors/dematologists/parasitologists even the government run CDC but from the sufferers themselves. 21 years ago I thourght it was just me going mad but then thanks to a Tropical Disease Doctor the only one person to help me in dozens who I have seen all top notch professionals in their fields (haha) which lead me to the word Morgellons I have learn’t more in 1 year than in the previous 20. There will be a cure to this and when that day comes as it will. Please start drinking heavily and celebrate. In the meantime go to http://www.morgellonsuk.org.uk/ and hit on latest research they are very close to breaking the curse. It will help your mental strength. Also I have had good help (not a cure) with mixing Nutra Silver with the new Silver Gel thats just come out. Applying to my nasal passages, my ears, my eyes and scalp. You will find a major improvement without to much energy on your part, both products are not expensive. http://www.nutrasilver.com and Sliver Defense and http://www.healthyhabitsweb.com. As far as the chemtrails scewing us all up, do not breathe in the particles that fall from the sky, do not get them in your hair or on your skin. When you go out to your yard to work cover yourself from head to toe, including a face mask so you do not breathe in the webbary that has landed from the chemtrails and to the scientist who made the disease for warfare I hope you die a thousand times and suffer and thousand more from the inflicted pain you have given to a growing population all over the world you f’ing coward. Oh and have a nice day!
This is a horrible and aggravating condition! I feel so badly for anyone who is suffering from this! I poured baby oil over my body hoping to slough off some of whatever it is. Tiny red fibers came oozing out of my skin. A wormish looking thing came out of my armpit, and also a sore. I am also getting older, but the rate at which I am aging isn’t normal. I keep falling, have drop foot, muscle pains, neuropathy, and stinging sensations on my scalp. I would douse myself in motor oil if I thought it would stop this. The ER doctor could only saw the red fibers, were fibers, not worms. There were hundreds of them. The kindest thing that could happen to me, is that I not wake. No one should have to live this way. The depression is very bad. Nothing helps. It’s very late/early, I cannot sleep. I believe there is an explanation for this. There have been thousands of black specks and granules that I cannot describe. Heaven help us all.
I had an outbreak of this very strange and tenacious condition. I noticed these strange colored fibers under a 4x magnifying glass because wanted to see what was causing this untreatable rash and intense itching. I contracted it in 2008 after staying with a friend who had unclean bird cages, a guinea pig cage, and dogs who were not kept clean all living inside her house. I thought this might be the area of contamination. Today this condition is under control.
It seems to manifest itself in phases. First in a round sore resembling a ring worm with an initial sting or needle piercing sensation. Next, an outbreak of red rash spots that become symmetrical on the body–a rash on one leg, then a rash outbreak on the other leg in the same area. Then a dry scaly patch over the rash develops, lessening the itch. Now, it’s a cluster of small bumps mostly on the back of my upper arms and on small areas of my legs.
The only way I treated it was with a combination of Gold Bond triple action cream (OTC)and penicillin(prescribed) applied topically. Many doses of prescribed internal medicine was of no effect whatsoever; neither was any topical cream prescribed for what doctors like to generaly diagnose as eczema. I discovered that by opening the penicillin capsule and using a mixture of just a small amount of the powder with the cream, I received great relief. The rash crusted over and the irritation greatly decreased. This needs to be applied at least 2x daily to keep the itch and spread under control. I topped it off with petroleum jelly when it really got out of control–such as when it spread on one half of my face. That was embarrassing!
Whenever the rash seems to become inflamed again on the outside of my skin, I will reapply this mixture and receive relief. I found that after this mixture is applied and you let it stay on for 30 minutes or more, the rash substance will ‘peel’ off. You just have to keep scruffing it off the affected area till it’s ‘clean’ of the dead skin (or organism).
This rash seems to ‘travel,’ so if one area is treated it will creep over to another part of the area–strange. Therefore, the mixture should be spread on the infection as well as the area around it.
The best solution is to try this first on the small area of infection before it spreads at frightening speed. I don’t use the word ‘frightening’ lightly. It has been an expensive ordeal when seeking help from doctors have no answer, nor do they have a diagnoses or a remedy. I was very disappointed in the general diagnoses of medical professionals that I consulted. Staph infection and eczema are general conditions that need a specific category of diagnosis. It’s like receiving a diagnosis of a ‘cough’ when the actual condition for an illness is whooping cough or bronchitis.
I hope this has been some help to anyone struggling with this condition.
STANINGER IS A FRAUD! 4 OF HER SITES/FORUMS HAVE ALREADY BEEN SHUT DOWN, HER COMPANY NAME CHANGES NAMES MORE OFTEN THAN MOST PEOPLE CHANGE THEIR UNDERWARE.. BEWARE, THERE IS NO CURE!! NOT YET ANYWAY, TOO MANY PEOPLE DOING STUPID THINGS THAT ARE HURTING THEM WORSE, BECAUSE OF FRAUDS LIKE STANNINGER…
Hello my mother lives in Mi and is having same problems. She has actually found parasites under her skin . Her hair has fallen out some. She can not thionk clearly at all, i have seen this myself. Her vision and short term memory are awful. In nose eyes if anyone has some valuable info please let us know. Everyone seems tothink that she is crazy . I have seen it but I live inKy and don’t get to see her alot. God Bless, Nichole
has anyone else here noticed when they have a bath in teatree, their wounds go bright white and their skin goes black, this happened to my aunt when she bathed in tea-tree and she felt like she was on fire, could hear her screaming miles off.. happened to any of you guys???