Use of Antipsychotic Long-acting Injection in Ekbom Syndrome: A Case of Delusional Parasitosis

Abstract

Ekbom syndrome is the clinical term for delusional parasitosis and is characterized by the patient’s fixed and false conviction of being infested with parasites without any objective evidence. Patients with Ekbom syndrome often consult dermatologists, however, sometimes they might try to heal themselves by “removing” the parasites, which may lead to a skin-picking disorder or excoriation. The patient’s obsessive treatment of such skin lesions ultimately leads to a vicious cycle that further distances them from psychiatry. Patients with poor adherence to psychiatric treatment may become chronic if left untreated. Although the benefit of antipsychotics in Ekbom syndrome is well-known, a chronic patient who has insufficient social support is not expected to comply with oral therapy. Antipsychotic long-acting injection should be considered as an option for such patients. In this case report, we present a male patient with delusional disorder who showed a symptomatic improvement after being treated with antipsychotic long-acting injection.

Keywords

• ekbom syndrome
• delusional infestation
• delusional parasitosis
• delusional disorder
• antipsychotic long-acting injection