Treatment of Morgellons disease with doxycycline

Jeff F. Zhang, 1 Keerthy Gopalakrishnan, 2 and Daniel J. Molloy 3

Author information Article notes Copyright and License information Disclaimer

Associated Data

Data Availability Statement

Go to:

Abstract

Morgellons disease (MD) is a rare dermatopathy characterized by nonspecific symptoms and the production of multicolored fibers and granular tissue from diffuse skin ulcerations which are described as being either pruritic or painful. The etiology of MD is currently unknown; previous studies have suggested both psychiatric and infectious causes, with increasing interest over the previous decade in elaborating a possible pathogenesis for the disease secondary to infection by Borrelia species. We report a middle‐aged Caucasian female who developed symptoms of MD in the days following exposure to a tick bite after spending an afternoon hiking through a wooded area. She was subsequently treated with a course of Doxycycline and found on two‐week follow‐up to have complete remission of her symptoms. This case report further supports the theory for an infectious etiology of MD and encourages future studies into its pathophysiology.

Keywords: Borrelia burgdorferi, dermatopathology, Doxycycline, Lyme disease, Morgellons disease, spirochetes

Go to: