Bay Area researchers are beginning the first major U.S. study into Morgellons disease, a mystery disease known for its frightening symptoms.
Some of the symptoms for the disease are open sores and unidentifiable objects poking out of the skin. Kaiser Permanente has received many reports of patients exemplifying the symptoms in the Bay Area over the last 18 months.
The research will be funded by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Researchers are hoping to devise a more specific definition of Morgellons and how prevalent it is in the Bay Area, which has one of the largest concentrations of self-reported cases of the disease in the country.
In addition to the skin problems, symptoms of Morgellons include fatigue, confusion and memory problems, joint pain and a sensation of pins and needles or something crawling on the skin.
The CDC is attempting to determine if the disease is psychiatric or medical. Many doctors believe that Morgellons is actually a psychiatric condition called delusional parasitosis.
The CDC does not officially report cases of Morgellons. The nonprofit Morgellons Research Foundation says that more than 10,000 families in the United States have registered with the Web site, claiming at least one family member has the disease. The research foundation estimates that 150 to 500 people in Northern California have Morgellons.
For more science and medical news, please check out http://news.finditt.com/NewsList.aspx?cat=12&wcat=4
