Delusional parasitosis is a label that many doctors give patients when they cannot figure out what is biting the infested person. Many people will visit a doctor this year with evidence of a microscopic insect biting them, but will unfortunately be lumped into the insane category with a verdict of delusional parasitosis, because the doctor has no idea how to stop it. There are people that really are delusional, but normally it is from battling an unseen enemy for months or even years, then finally being "cured" from poisons ingested to fight off the unseen bugs. Unfortunately the "cure" for unseen biting parasites is pure poison, including Permethrin cream, Ivermectin, and Benzemul. These "cures" cause the same sensations that the unseen parasite caused, so it is no wonder that someone would still think they are infested.

What kind of parasites are unseen that cause these bites, rashes, and creepy crawly feelings? Mostly mites, these microscopic demons can infest any warm blooded animal. Scabies mites are the most prominent and frequently diagnosed of the creepy crawly parasites. Scabies mites can be contracted like an STD, through human contact, but also can be contracted from animals. Pet lovers have the hardest time dealing with these infestations because they reinfest their pets, and their pets reinfest them.

Bird mites are becoming a more and more popular infestation in the US and Australia. Many people remove birds nests from their homes every year without a thought as to what creatures could contaminate those nests. When they find out it's far too late and their home is infested. Bird mites are the hardest of the mite family to be rid of because there are species of bird mites that are know to have a dormancy period (without a host) of 9 months. I have talked to some people who have been fighting off bird mite infestations for over a decade!

Rodent mites can also infest humans, animals and homes. Right alongside of scabies and bird mites, rodent mites can be extremely hard to rid oneself and their home of. How could a human possibly get rodent mites? Any rodent that dies in ones home, under their home, or that they touch to throw away, or their animal gets near...can be infested by rodent mites.

So how do I get rid of mites? This is where it gets quite scary and you will see why so many people have had trouble finding relief from these parasites. If they have infested your body, you need to use the poisonous creams and oral ingestions to make your body toxic enough that these critters will find you an unsuitable host. Permethrin cream 5% in the form of Elimite or Scabison has worked well at ridding the body of scabies, but bird and rodent mites seem to be partially immune to this drug. Ivermectin (Stromectol by Rx) taken orally seems to do the trick for most patients, but once again is poisoning the body.

Cleaning the environment is the biggest issue with eradicating mite infestations. To totally eradicate these invisible pests takes a clinical environment. Zippered mattress pads and pillow cases is where a person must begin this fight. To make the bed even more sterile you can purchase an extra zippered mattress cover and put your blankets in this, so that no cloth touches your body while sleeping, this drastically reduces the ability of these pests to infest your body. Arm and Hammer laundry detergent is a Godsend for fighting parasites, it should be used for doing laundry in hot water (over 130 degrees). Arm and Hammer laundry detergent can also be rubbed into all carpets along with Borax laundry soap. These two detergents kill mites and larvae. Alcohol will kill them also, but must be sprayed from ceiling to floor on a daily basis and should have some essential oil (tea tree oil, lavender oil, orange oil, etc...) mixed in to drown the parasites.

The two biggest causes of reinfestation are pets and clutter that lead to an unsterile environment. Thinking that you can just take a magic pill or cream is what has led most people to their long battles with these pests. Think of your home as a hospital, it must be sterile and soaking in detergents and alcohol at all times. What cannot be made sterile should be wrapped with plastic, such as couches and lazyboy chairs.

Parasites are strange critters, they may infest the entire family or just one family member. This is often the cause of Dr.s finding patients to have delusional parasitosis, because no one else is afflicted by the dreadful pests. Another horrific parasite that has doctors puzzled is Morgellons disease. Morgellons infested patients will have similar symptoms to scabies patients, but when they catch their culprits on tape and view under a microscope, it looks like lint fibers. These lint fiber looking worms can be just about any color, but are pulled off of different parts of the body and the majority will be one size. Unfortunately, very little is known about Morgellons and many patients are diagnosed with delusional parasitosis for showing their doctor some microscopic lent.

Hopefully the research that has been done on these parasites will become mandatory requirements for medical doctors to be aware of so that delusional parasitosis will no longer be a viable option for medical diagnosis. If you are experiencing problems with a parasite infestation I highly recommend visiting Topix forums for more information and to join the battle being wages against these unseen demons.