Ekbom Syndrome : A Case Series from West Africa

Abstract

Ekbom syndrome or delusional parasitosis is a rare disorder characterized by the unshakeable and fixed belief that the skin is infested by insects or parasites. It is a monothematic delusion of hallucinatory origin, which can affect men or woman independent the old. We report the cases of three patients with delusional parasitosis in different clinical circumstances. All our patients had isolated delusional parasitosis. Case 1 was a woman aged 53 years who had been abandoned by her husband and found herself socially isolated. Her disorder had been evolving for over ten years, and adherence to treatment was difficult to achieve. Case 2 was also a woman aged 44 years whose husband had died. Her condition had been evolving for two years, with multiple consultations before being referred to psychiatry. Adherence to treatment was easily achieved. The case 3 involved a young unemployed man aged 38 years old whose syndrome had led to social isolation. These three clinical vignettes show that Ekbom syndrome affects both men and women, with similar psychopathological vulnerabilities. The therapeutic pathway in our context is punctuated by a long circuit prior to psychiatric treatment. It is important to raise awareness of this pathological entity among all those involved in the care chain, in order to optimize treatment times and costs. To this end, general practioners and dermatologists should be made more aware of the diagnosis of this syndrome.