Cocaine abuse and delusions of parasitosis.
We report two persons in their thirties with the shared delusion of parasitosis. Both abused cocaine, and both recovered from their delusions after a period of abstinence. Although the literature does not stress that a specific cause is usually found for delusions of parasitosis, this may be changing for persons in groups among whom cocaine and possibly other illicit drug use is common. It is a service to these desperate patients to establish their confidence and then discretely ask about the use of illegal drugs, especially cocaine.
Elpern
D J
DJ
John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii.
D000328:Adult; D003042:Cocaine; D003702:Delusions / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012753:Shared Paranoid Disorder / Q000209:etiology; D012876:Skin Diseases, Parasitic / Q000523:psychology*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications*
D003042:Cocaine