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 Morgellons Disease
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GeeMack
SFN Regular

USA
1093 Posts

Posted - 05/14/2006 :  09:44:03  Show Profile Send GeeMack a Private Message
Now this is some strange and scary sounding stuff...
quote mysanantonio.com:
Doctors Puzzled Over Bizarre Infection Surfacing in South Texas

Morgellons disease is not yet known to kill, but if you were to get it, you might wish you were dead, as the symptoms are horrible.

"These people will have like beads of sweat but it's black, black and tarry," said Ginger Savely, a nurse practioner in Austin who treats a majority of these patients.

Patients get lesions that never heal.

"Sometimes little black specks that come out of the lesions and sometimes little fibers," said Stephanie Bailey, Morgellons patient.

[...]

While Savely sees this as a legitimate disease, there are many doctors who simply refuse to acknowledge it exists, because of the bizarre symptoms patients are diagnosed as delusional.

"Believe me, if I just randomly saw one of these patients in my office, I would think they were crazy too," Savely said. "But after you've heard the story of over 100 (patients) and they're all -- down to the most minute detail -- saying the exact same thing, that becomes quite impressive."
So what do our local SFN medical folks have to say about this? Morgellons Disease, real or bogus? Google: Morgellons Disease for more information.

dv82matt
SFN Regular

760 Posts

Posted - 05/14/2006 :  18:07:55   [Permalink]  Show Profile Send dv82matt a Private Message
I'd guess it's bogus. Most likely psychological in nature.
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ocheewah
Skeptic Friend

USA
50 Posts

Posted - 05/18/2006 :  07:00:39   [Permalink]  Show Profile Send ocheewah a Private Message
Same thing in Florida and other southern states:

http://www.cbs47.com/news/reports/story.aspx?content_id=054BB3F6-AD04-44C8-BDA4-15B8ECA03DDD


Those who danced were thought quite insane by those who could not hear the music.
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beskeptigal
SFN Die Hard

USA
3834 Posts

Posted - 05/20/2006 :  17:04:00   [Permalink]  Show Profile Send beskeptigal a Private Message
I looked in the usual places for Morgellon's Disease and found the following:

CDC has nothing on it.

But it isn't on their hoaxes and rumors page either.

The Public and Scientific Affairs Board (PSAB) called it an ill-defined syndrome.
January 13, 2006 - PSAB Submits Comments on CDC draft Health Protection Research Guide
quote:
We recommend adding the development of strategies for systematic investigation of ill-defined syndromes (e.g. Morgellon's disease, Gulf War syndrome), to the scope of research.


That would indicate people are not having black sweat and fibers but rather non-specific itching and blackheads. If there really were clinical findings like fibers they would have to have a physiological explanation or at least an analysis consistent with some protein the body is at least capable of producing. Insect infestations are easily discovered with skin biopsies.

I suspect the reporters have been taken in by very convincing patient complaints.
Edited by - beskeptigal on 05/20/2006 17:04:57
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