Nurse Perspective on Delusions of Parasitosis

Dermatology is a complex area of medicine that requires knowledge of skin biology, pathophysiology, chemistry, diagnostic tests, and physical examination. Although the skin may be the primary focus of a disease process, systemic disease processes may present with manifestation in the skin. This nurse perspective focuses on delusions of parasitosis or Ekbom's syndrome. Ekbom's syndrome is a psychocutaneous disorder in which patients believe they are infested with bugs, in the absence of actual infestation. This disorder needs multidisciplinary collaboration to aid treatment.