Medication Summary

The current treatment of choice is risperidone^{[46, 47]}or olanzapine.^{[48, 49, 50]}The older treatment of choice is pimozide.^[51]Several more recent articles have suggested other psychiatric medications can be used to treat delusions of parasitosis, including escitalopram (Lexapro, Forest Pharmaceuticals; New York, NY)^{[10, 52]}and aripiprazole.^[53]

The most common adverse effects of pimozide are extrapyramidal symptoms, including stiffness and, occasionally, a special inner sense of restlessness called akathisia. Effective treatment of such extrapyramidal reactions includes benztropine 1-2 mg up to 4 times daily as needed or diphenhydramine 25 mg 3 times daily.

Class Summary

Used to treat psychoses.

Risperidone (Risperdal)

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Binds to dopamine D2 receptor with 20 times lower affinity than for 5-HT2 receptor. Improves negative symptoms of psychoses and reduces incidence of extrapyramidal adverse effects.

Olanzapine (Zyprexa)

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May inhibit serotonin, muscarinic and dopamine effects.

Pimozide (Orap)

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Antipsychotic of the diphenylbutylpiperidine class. Used to treat delusions of parasitosis and Tourette disorder.

Follow-up

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Ghaffari-Nejad A, Toofani K. Delusion of oral parasitosis in a patient with major depressive disorder. Arch Iran Med. 2006 Jan. 9(1):76-7. [QxMD MEDLINE Link].
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Author

Bettina E Bernstein, DO Distinguished Fellow, American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry; Distinguished Fellow, American Psychiatric Association; Clinical Assistant Professor of Neurosciences and Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry/Psychiatric Medicine, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine; Clinical Affiliate Medical Staff, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia; Consultant to Gemma Services, Private Practice; Consultant PMHCC/CBH at Family Court, Philadelphia

Bettina E Bernstein, DO is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, American Psychiatric Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

David F Butler, MD Former Section Chief of Dermatology, Central Texas Veterans Healthcare System; Professor of Dermatology, Texas A&M University College of Medicine; Founding Chair, Department of Dermatology, Scott and White Clinic

David F Butler, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American Academy of Dermatology, Association of Military Dermatologists, Phi Beta Kappa, Texas Dermatological Society

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Glen L Xiong, MD Associate Clinical Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Department of Internal Medicine, University of California, Davis, School of Medicine; Medical Director, Sacramento County Mental Health Treatment Center

Glen L Xiong, MD is a member of the following medical societies: AMDA - The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine, American College of Physicians, American Psychiatric Association, Central California Psychiatric Society

Disclosure: Serve(d) as a director, officer, partner, employee, advisor, consultant or trustee for: SafelyYou, Blue Cross Blue Shield<br/>book co-editor for: Wolter Kluwer, American Psychiatric Publishing Inc.

Additional Contributors

Franklin Flowers, MD Professor Emeritus, Department of Dermatology, Affiliate Associate Professor of Pathology, University of Florida College of Medicine

Franklin Flowers, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Mohs Surgery

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Noah S Scheinfeld, JD, MD, FAAD † Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Dermatology, Weil Cornell Medical College; Consulting Staff, Department of Dermatology, St Luke's Roosevelt Hospital Center, Beth Israel Medical Center, New York Eye and Ear Infirmary; Assistant Attending Dermatologist, New York Presbyterian Hospital; Assistant Attending Dermatologist, Lenox Hill Hospital, North Shore-LIJ Health System; Private Practice

Noah S Scheinfeld, JD, MD, FAAD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Dermatology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Delusions of Parasitosis Medication

Medication Summary

Antipsychotics