Has Any Research Been Done To Find A Cure For Morgellons Disease?

The key to finding a cure for Morgellons disease is in understanding its cause. Private donations have funded much of the research so far. The Centers for Disease control have just recently become involved in research on Morgellons, and the main purpose of their investigation is to verify that they are indeed dealing with an unknown disease. Their delay in addressing the existence of Morgellons is surprising since one of the responsibilities of the CDC is to control the introduction and spread of infectious disease. And, although there is much mystery surrounding the disease, there are no doubts that it is infectious.

So who has been doing the research? Scientists associated with the Morgellons Research Foundation thus far have conducted most of the research. The MRF was founded in 2002 by a scientist whose child was suffering from this unknown disease. There are now more than 10,000 families registered with the Morgellons Foundation. The Morgellons Research Foundation publishes their research findings on their website for the public to read. From their website we are able to learn that their research has found a viral or bacteria causation to be unlikely. Believing that the organism is a complex fungus or an unknown parasite, the MRF asserts that its research will focus on genetic investigations of the DNA extracted from the lesions and fibers.

One of the researchers who has accomplished the most is Randy Wymore, an assistant professor of pharmacology at Oklahoma State University. With the help of two Oklahoma State faculty physicians, Wymore tweezed fibers from the skin of Morgellons patients who visited the Oklahoma State Center for Health Services. Wymore then sent the sample to the forensic lab of the Tulsa Police Department. The police lab was unable to match the fiber samples taken from Morgellons patients to samples of carpet or clothing fiber in the FBI’s database. Wymore found that most of the patients claiming to have Morgellons disease who were examined by the OSU clinical faculty had macroscopic fibers visible under the out layer of skin.

The Centers for Disease Control is the latest to begin to research Morgellons. A CDC task force was formed in 2006 to investigate the cause of Morgellons disease. The purpose of the task force was to develop a case definition of Morgellons disease. Making up this 12-person task force were two pathologists, a mental health expert, an ethicist, a toxicologist, and specialist in the fields of infectious, parasitic, environmental and chronic disease. Just recently, the CDC announced plans to launch an investigation into the disease. Hopefully, this will be the first step in Morgellons being recognized as a real disease.

In order to find a cure for Morgellons, researchers must find a cause. While private researchers are trying to accomplish miracles with limited funds, the government agency responsible for infectious disease control has dragged its feet in even recognizing that there is a problem that needs to be identified. Public outcry has finally given way to action on the part of the CDC, and it is hoped that we are now on our way to a cure.