Where did Morgellons Come From and how long has it been here?

The history and origin of Morgellons disease as we know it is somewhat limited. Having only been named in 2002, the jury is still out on whether it will be recognized by the CDC as a legitimate condition. There is evidence that the condition existed centuries ago, however much of this evidence exists only in writings from as early as the 1600’s and has little reliable basis in modern medicine.

In 2002, a biologist by the name of Maria Leitao noticed a peculiar condition on her two year old son. There was an open sore on his lip and it seemed to make him uncomfortable. Under further examination, Maria found small fibers in the sores on her son’s lip and was baffled. She labeled the condition Morgellons after a condition described in A Letter To A Friend by Sir Thomas Browne in 1690. At this point there was very little known about Morgellons, even less than is known now.

Because there is still very little know about the condition known as Morgellons, it is difficult to compile an accurate symptoms list. However, the most common complaints from Morgellons sufferers include sensations of insects crawling, stinging or biting on or under the skin and rashes or lesions on various parts of the body that do not heal. From these lesions often come fiber-like filaments, granules or crystals. Joint, muscle and connective tissue pain, debilitating fatigue as well as short term memory loss are also on the list.

Throughout extensive research on the phenomenon known as Morgellons, the medical community has been divided. Many physicians believe that this is a new disease or a newly recognized one that victimizes a number of people around the world. However, others refute that this is an actual disease but instead indicate that many of these patients have psychological problems or other common skin disorders. In many cases it is suggested that the lesions are caused by constant scratching of the crawling sensations, which are explained by delusions of parasitosis.

Research on the most perplexing part of Morgellons, the fibers, is ongoing as well. While some physicians and scientists argue that the fibers caused by environmental factors and synthetic, other evidence is present to show otherwise. Doctors and scientists at Oklahoma State University have studied the fibers in detail. They have been observed under the skin and in the lesions of those reporting of Morgellons disease.

DNA samples of patients being observed with fibers linked to Morgellons has proven to contain an infectious organism known as Agrobacterium. This has been known to produce fibers similar to the ones observed in the patients. It can also cause infections in the human body, weaken the immune system, leading to many symptoms attributed to Morgellons. The fibers have also been examined in forensic labs and compared to a number of other fiber specimines, of which no match was found.

The history of Morgellons remains to be seen, as it is still fairly knew to our civilization. It is important to many health professionals to disprove this so-called imaginary disease and it is equally important for others to prove it does exist. Whatever research is found could mean a new lease on life for those sufferers that have reported Morgellons-like symptoms. It is a debilitating and miserable disease made worse when they are told that that they suffer from does not exist.