May 3, 2005

Dear Dr. Smith:

Thank you for your letter on behalf of yourself, regarding your concerns about the condition known as Morgellons Disease. Morgellons Disease and skin conditions of unknown etiologies have been matters of concern to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for some time, and have been the subject of a number of inquiries from the public and attention from our staff.

CDC and numerous other health facilities have examined photos of lesions or objects submitted by patients with complaints of Morgellons over the past two years. No parasites or other agents have been identified. Of the few specimens received from health care providers, none have been found to contain insects or pathogens. CDC is currently working to develop collaborations with one or more major medical centers that can serve as reference centers to better study and define the etiology of this condition.

The website of the Morgellons Research Foundation, the public source for much of the information circulating about the condition, attributes an infectious cause for the skin lesions and other health problems affecting persons with Morgellons Disease. The Foundation states their suspicion that there is a particular link between Morgellons Disease and Lyme disease; however, CDC is unaware of credible evidence or definitive scientific studies supporting an association between these symptoms and infection with Borrelia burgdorferi (the organism that causes Lyme disease). In addition, the Morgellons Research Foundation website reports primary “clusters” of this illness from Texas, California, and Florida, none of which coincide with documented areas of intensive Lyme disease activity. The Morgellons Research Foundation also clearly states that “Light and scanning electron microscopy have demonstrated that no worms, nematodes, microfilaria, insects, or mites have been found,” which diminishes the likelihood of a parasitic cause of illness.

We encourage you and others suffering from the condition you describe, to work with dermatologists to seek diagnostic testing using well-defined and reliable tests to explore the stipulated association with Lyme disease. Furthermore, we encourage the submission of specimens collected in physicians’ offices, hospitals, or other recognized clinical settings, and stored under proper conditions, to State Health Departments. CDC laboratories typically serve as a reference to state public health labs. We recognize that as a physician yourself you may not require referral to a qualified medical specialist who will determine if additional testing is necessary. Such specialists, particularly dermatologists, can then obtain a diagnostic sample to submit to a clinical pathology laboratory for initial diagnosis. These laboratories seek consultation from their state public health lab or CDC when necessary.

We hope this information is helpful to you.

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Editor's Note: This email reply came from "Ephgrave, Julie"