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Parasitic skin infections can cause severe itching and be distressing. Most skin parasites are insects or worms that burrow into the skin for part or all of their life cycle. Also, some systemic parasitic infections have cutaneous manifestations; these include certain nematodes (ancylostomiasis, dracunculosis, strongyloidiasis, toxocariasis—see Biology of Infectious Disease: Introduction) and flukes (schistosomiasis—see Trematodes (Flukes): Schistosomiasis). Very rarely, patients have delusional parasitosis.
Last full review/revision September 2008 by James G.H. Dinulos, MD
Content last modified September 2008
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