What is the CDC doing about Morgellons?

In 2006, the Centers for Disease Control announced that they would be establishing a task force to investigate a condition that had become known as Morgellons. Though little was known about Morgellons at the time, the common symptoms appeared to include the constant feeling of bugs crawling and biting below the skin and open sore or lesions all over the surface of the skin that would not heal. Additionally, Morgellons sufferers have reported strange fibers, generally red and blue, that emerge from the wounds or other places on the skin.

To initiate the investigation if this unknown diseased labeled Morgellons, the CDC established a task force of scientists and physicians to investigate reports of the condition. A solicitation notice published in July of 2007 explained the plan to investigate Morgellons and the possibility of a contract with Kaiser Permanente to assist in the research. Other organizations and specialists have been asked to contribute to the Morgellons investigation.

By establishing this task force and conducting more research into the Morgellons phenomenon, the CDC hopes to gain a better understanding of the details of this condition. By pinpointing the specific symptoms related to Morgellons, they will be more capable of hypothesizing possible risk factors and causes related to the potential disease. Where symptoms and a possible cause of Morgellons can be establish, there may follow a cure or at least treatments for those that suffer from it on a daily basis.

At this time, the CDC and its Morgellons research task force have been unable to locate the cause of the condition. It is also unknown as to whether Morgellons was preexisting and simply undiagnosed, or if it caused by a newly developed strain of bacteria or parasite. It is also undetermined whether Morgellons is increasing in growth and infecting more people. Although the CDC has experienced an increase in reports of the symptoms, the growing media attention has increased awareness and could have contributed to the wave of reports of Morgellons.

The CDC website and publications address as many factors as they can about Morgellons with the limited knowledge that they have at this time. The official CDC answer to many questions is that they simply do not know at this time or do not have enough evidence to prove or disprove certain theories. Included in these questions are whether Morgellons is contagious or not. Because there is evidence that would prove both ways, it is hard to say. Some Morgellons sufferers are members of a family with no other sufferers, whereas other cases involve entire families with the condition. The CDC is investigating both possibilities.

Although it acts as little comfort to the thousands reporting Morgellons related symptoms, the CDC is conducting extensive and ongoing research to establish or disprove this as a valid disease. They do recommend that sufferers find a local physicians that can help treat some of the symptoms related to Morgellons, and to beware of what they read on erroneous websites. Some advertise treatments for Morgellons that has the support of the CDC, and the CDC makes it perfectly clear that they have done no such thing.

The research is ongoing and the CDC will report its findings on Morgellons as soon as they have something conclusive. Until then, they urge sufferers to monitor all of their symptoms, find a dependable physician and stay educated on any new developments. Remember that Morgellons has no known cure or cause at the moment, and be careful what you believe until you have heard it directly from the source.