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The Morgellons (sometimes Morgellons disease) is a skin condition with no agreed-upon physical cause or etiology, frequently mis-diagnosed by many doctors as delusional parasitosis or collective hysteria. One study points to infestation by Collembola organisms. However, current research at tha Morgellons Research Foundation that looked at the molecular level for DNA evidence of Collembola in samples of skin and other shed material from Morgellons patients did not find Collembola DNA, and hence, for these Morgellons patients, symptoms are not from Collembola.

Origin of name

The name Morgellons, with a hard g, comes from the monograph A Letter to a Friend by Sir Thomas Browne, wherein he describes several medical conditions in his experience, including that endemial distemper of children in Languedoc, called the morgellons, wherein they critically break out with harsh hairs on their backs . A 1935 paper by British doctor C.E. Kellett identifies the name morgellons with the Provençal term masclous, or "little flies" .

Symptoms

The symptoms are frequently characterized as rashes or non-healing skin lesions associated with unusual structures that look like granules and filaments, and in particular a burning or itching sensation as if small parasites are crawling on or under the skin. When treated as a fungal infectionwith topical medications, the symptoms return within days and further use of the antifungal drug is ineffective. Some sufferers have tested positive for Lyme disease (borreliosis) and most have chronic fatigue syndrome. The states with the highest number of reports include California, Texas, and Florida; many sufferers are teachers and nurses. The reasons for these demographics are unknown. However, frequently, dermatologists and infectious disease doctors will label a patient as delusional without taking skin samples. Once a person has been labeled "DOP", the concern for a contagious disease is gone and precautions to prevent contracting disease are not used. This could explain in part, the high numbers of nurses with Morgellons symptoms. The symptoms are very similar to Gulf War Illness which is also controversial and not receiving appropriate attention.

Controversy and research efforts

Dr. William Harvey of Houston, Texas champions the disease as real but few medical professionals agree with him. Many medical professionals dismiss fibers found on patients as lint. Dr. George Schwartz of Santa Fe, New Mexico believes the cause is the bacterium Stenotrophomonas maltophilia. The Morgellons Research Foundation was created in 2002 by the mother of a child suffering from the condition, and has publicized the lack of research and the lack of doctors' recognizing a disease and how widespread (and therefore) how serious it really is. If the evidence of current studies proves to be valid, Morgellons disease could be found to be the underlying cause of many other diseases ranging from hearing loss to organ failure. There have been suicides related to the disease that current research indicates are due to the overwhelming lack of care and rejection from the many doctors sufferers go to for help.

Randy S. Wymore, Ph.D., of the Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences in Tulsa, OK, USA is the current Director of Research at the Morgellons Research Foundation (since spring of 2005). Dr. Wymore is examing the fibers, scabs and other samples from Morgellons patients. To date, the OSU preliminary research suggests that the fibers are not merely textile contaminants and that the scabs have qualitative differences from the scabs of unaffected individuals. The Oklahoma State University College of Osteopathic Medicine has assumed a leadership role in Morgellons research. Dr. Wymore is optimistic that in 2006 formal studies with Morgellons patients will begin. The Morgellons Research Foundation has recently published a Case Definition for physicians to use when seeing patients that may have Morgellons Disease. One of Dr. Wymore's main goals in upcoming months is to identify concrete diagnostic critera that doctors can use to confirm that a person may have Morgellons Disease.

Dr. Marc Lewis, of the University of Texas at Austin is beginning research on Morgellons (Nov 2005). Dr. Lewis most recently has been testing theories on a rare, but deadly, disease called Cronkhite-Canada Syndrome.

Collembola study

A study from 2000 published in the Journal of the New York Entomological Society co-sponsored by the Oklahoma State Department of Health and the National Pediculosis Association found 18 of 20 patients self-reporting symptoms of the Morgellons to have infestations by a minute species of insect-like hexapod known as collembola, or springtails . Studied patients had, in their skin scrapings, collembola eggs often no larger than 100 micrometres or juvenile collembola no larger than 300 micrometres.

THE MORGELLONS CALLUS

It should be clearly stated that among the few certainties extant about Morgellons that are absolutely provable is that there exists a nematode-like life form who's role is central to the affliction.

As each successful actor has his own unique foil, so too does this peculiar creature have a proprietary shield.

This shield is what we know as the "callus."

It is the organism's creation and composition of the callus and the nematomorph method of utilizing and dermo-forming the callus that begs understanding. To understand this is to take the first step on the path that hold a promise of gaining the offensive and of obtaining an eventual cure.

Recent research indicates that the callus is more a product of the creature than a reaction of the host. This is more important of a distinction that it may at first appear. The callus, although it mimics skin to a phenomenal degree is, (IMO) NOT skin, or is at best a mixture of plasma and other body fluids chemically transformed by a specialized secretion of the nematomorph.

We know that the finished product is anchored with a tenacity that defies normal convention.

The callus usually makes its debut as a thick clear semi-sticky fluid extruded directly from the endodermis regions. Its consistency is comparable to a clear corn syrup. It has a drying time measured in minutes and at times in seconds. As a result, it is not uncommon for it to escape initial notice.

(This liquid also has other proto-funtions more apropos to other chapters)

The above described secretion is the cement from which the organism builds its callused fortress. It serves the creature well in both a defensive and offensive capacity. As the callus forms and hardens the adult nematomorph often integrates itself into it.

The secretion is also utilized to wash away the caustic effect of chemical attack and to reestablish its dominion within a perimeter where it may have suffered reverses due to enzyme attack or even cases of zealous tweezer tenacity.

More significantly, upwellings of this liquid are also found in previously uninfected areas of the host's body immediately prior to new or expanding colonization.

When left to pursue its natural course, the callus often exhibits a number of "flaps" or skinlike flakes extruding from its edge. When this leading or extruding flap is successfully grasped by tweezers and removed without the aid of being softened by enzyme action or 91% alcohol saturation, It tends to take its leave from the host body in the form of strips that are skin-like in appearance and are generally longer than they are wide.

As the strip is removed it will often appear to rip through the adjoining and/or connected callused areas much like a string through a bag of dog food.

Pain however, is usually minimal along the horizontal length being removed. It is only sharp at the point where the far end section of the nematomorph may be accessing the blood of the host.

The removed section of callus exhibits one interesting characteristic well worth noting. It, as well as any other removable sections in the immediate vicinity, will Always only be completely removable in the same direction!

Once that direction is determined, the targeted strips of callus must always be peeled backwards against themselves. They cannot be entirely removed in any other manner or direction and will only break off if contrary removal is attempted.

As stated previously, this may be due to the fact that at there are nematomorphic forms that have physically embedded themselves within the matrix of the callus liquid prior to complete hardening. This tends to form lines of fracture that appear as strips whose borders are defined by a mutual point where other embedded objects are encountered or meshed with.

One additional result of this embedding is that each "strip" of callus has great tensile strength in a horizontal or linear direction. The strength is directly proportional to its length. It is more evident for older and longer embedded creatures and less for younger and therefore shorter ones.

The entire callus is further secured on the underside, (or skin side) not only by the super glue effect of the secretions of the creature, but also by dozens of protuberances that are somehow created as the callus forms and that appear to serve in the capacity of anchors. These "podia"give the undercarriage of the callus an appearance similar to that of the exoskeleton of a millipede or similar creature

(Note)

It is the "peeled back against itself" motion of callus removal that best enables the curved scimitar shaped podia to release their formidable hold on the flesh of the host.

Discerning observers will also note that there are often numbers of small nematomorph forms to be found among these podia.

To sum up: It is common contention to date that the callus is composed not only of the extruded secretion alone, but also that the adult worm is fond of encasing itself in this matrix.

Once embedded, it will remain fixed along its entire length with only a small flap of material protruding from just under the top leading edge of the callus. From these many points along the perimeter, the callus will often grow. These are the allegorical gates of the city. It is from here that one of the methods of creeping expansion are accomplished by the aid of further secretion by the creature as it grows and moves outwards in a horizontal manner semicircular manner.

SECTION 6 ACTIVITY WITHIN THE CALLUS

New or juvenile forms found entering the above described callus life stage can be removed embedded in commensurately tiny strips of callus. Interestingly, and to the best of my knowledge, there appears to be no predetermined limit to the length that they may eventually attain.

Many removed strips have exceeded an inch or more and many new or small ones of less than a 1/32 of an inch. These strips tend to be very flat and almost "dry" at the leading edge, but much more moist at the end farthest from the leading edge of the callus.

A great majority of these objects that are not completely integrated together in a common secretion with others of their kind will exhibit two horn-like projections on the outer or forward leading edge. These "horns" give the removed object a look resembling a flatworm or fluke with the antennae of a slug or snail. (hence the original designation of "fluke form)

It is these extrusions or prior mentioned flaps that can be grasped by tweezers if one is quick enough. They will often slightly extend beyond the edge of the advancing, (growing) callus or lesion and will noticeably extend themselves even further when stimulated by outside pressure slightly behind their location.

The pressure required to achieve this end is that which occurs when the callus is repeatedly and lightly stroked or rubbed with any foreign object.

Should one attempt to seize this flap but then miss in the attempt, the extrusion will likely retract or curl back under the callus with impressive speed.

The far end of this form, when successfully removed, is anchored in the flesh of the host. It is at this point that the creature is accessing the blood stream. Following successful removal, it is at this point that the host will often bleed profusely. However, such a flow often suddenly stops as suddenly as it begins.

This may be due to the fact that the blood is substantially thinned and "pooled" in this location and is serving as a reservoir for feeding reasons and/or larval nursery purposes. 

The exiting blood can usually be seen to contain a number of amorphous fleshy objects that will manifest themselves in the flow. These are larvae. If this blood contaminates surrounding uninfected areas the infection is vectored and a new callus will begin to form within an exceptionally short period of time.

In advanced infections these calluses are highly overlaid in a scalelike manner, overlapping one upon the other in great number.

This trait greatly complicates eradication.

Individually the parasites and their shields can be seen as tiny white spots against the skin.

It is often necessary to rub or otherwise irritate the skin in order to highlight parasites at this level of development.

Collectively as the creatures mature, (grow) they merge to form large callused areas. This is due to the fact that when left undisturbed these individual parasites tend to grow in a slightly radial and forward manner. They soon connect with adjoining formations and eventually the mass assumes the appearance of a noticeable callus or they simply appear to the observer as would thickened, aged skin. The latter appearance is an indicator of young callus or (Newly colonized) regions.

No known limit has yet been established as to the attainable proportions of the size of a colony of embedded nematomorphic forms. In fact, there appears to be no arbitrary natural check to just how much or how wide an area of the host's skin surface this sheath of creatures can extend its colonizing activity.

The only difference between a callus and a lesion can be considered one of seniority with the lesion having precedence. A further definition would be that the callus is an enclosed wounding of the host while the lesion is an open wound that, due to suspected but yet to be identified abilities of the parasite, heals poorly, if at all.

-CliffMickelson

External links

• Morgellons Research Foundation
• Photo Images from a Morgellons Sufferer
• Museum of Hoaxes - Morgellons Disease: Is it real?
• A Medical Mystery: Delusional Parasitosis - Reno Gazette-Journal
• George Schwartz, M.D. update on Morgellons - Feb. 2005 post
  • Mysterious lesions defy definition - From Contra Costa, California Times, March 14, 2005
• Ever Hopeful's Delusions - Photos and video of the organism, text about the current state of medical research and attention.
• Skin Parasite Source & Symptom Database Informal survey to gather and share data between people with Morgellons symptoms

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