La sindrome di Ekbom: uno studio su due casi

Introduction Ekbom's syndrome is a rare disease characterized by the patient’s belief to be invaded from parasites. It causes itch and/or pins and needles with intense scratching and excoriated lesions. Aim We describe two cases where the psychotherapeutic treatment has allowed pharmacological one, removed the causes and produced the disappearance of symptoms. Clinical Case Patients, aged 67 and 70 years, after the traumatic death of a family member showed intense itch and excoriated lesions on scalp, trunk and limbs. They attributed these symptoms to an infestation. The patients were submitted to Rorschach and Machover tests, psychotherapy and anti-psycotic. Resulted The patients present compromised the examination of reality and go toward a psychotic pathology. Affective compulsion, depressed humor, extraneousness to the environment and polarization of the thought, were present. The interviews pointed out the delirium was the conversion of an uneasiness psychic. The psychotherapeutic treatment has allowed the patients to accept the pharmacological one and the regression of the psychosis. Discussion The delirium and the tactile hallucinations are been induced by an inevitable psychic trauma. The content of the delirium is the death and it is connected to the bugs. The skin lesions are the proof of the delirium. Besides, the itch and the scratching could be determined by emotional regressive reactions. They determine a reassuring role and stabilize the emotional conflict. Conclusions We retain that in the previous cases the delirium of infestation can occur by an event perceived as terrifying, because it is negative,immediate, unpredictable and unstoppable.