Various myths have arisen around the Morgellons story in the media. The problem with such myths is that by repetition, they get elevated from simple misrepresentations and errors to established facts. This site is about investigating some of the more unusual claims regarding Morgellons, and hopefully dispelling the Morgellons myths.
Myth #1 – 4500 People have Morgellons
False. 4500 people have filled in a survey on Morgellons.org, unfortunately the symptoms described in the survey are so vague that practically anyone could qualify as to having Morgellons. No usable case definition exists for Morgellons
Myth #2 – Since the CDC is investigating it, it must be real.
False. The CDC is investigating the Morgellons reports, to determine IF it is real. Dan Rutz, spokesman for the CDC, says “We don’t have any evidence to support that [there’s an infectious process going on]”, and “In the absence of any objective review, people have jumped to conclusions and found each other on the Internet and formed their own belief structure.”
Myth #3 – There is photographic evidence of Morgellons
False. There are a lot of photos, particularly of fibers. The problem is that the vast majority of these fiber photos look just like normal fibers from clothing, bandages, bedding and furniture. Fibers are everywhere, and they inevitably get onto your skin. One researcher claims to have found a few fibers he cannot identify, but forensic investigations often have unidentified fibers, so this tells us nothing.
Myth #4 – Doctors have observed fibers emerging from the skin
Dubious. The claim is that fibers were observed “within 45 seconds“, and yet on the recent CNN report, at least six star patients were examined over two days with the CNN cameras present, and using a portable video microscope. The best evidence they were able to present was a single blue cotton fiber laying on top of the skin. If the evidence is so obvious, why could it not be videoed?
Myth #5 – Morgellons sufferers are really sick, and it’s not all in their heads.
TRUE – Not a myth at all, yet the Morgellons Research Foundation seeks to portray this as a struggle between an new disease, and a summary diagnosis of mental illness. The real situation is a lot more complex.
The Morgellons research Foundation is currently gearing up for a new media promotional piece they are organizing with ABC’s Prime Time: Medical Mysteries, possible to be aired in early August. In this piece they will continue to promote these, and other, myths. I believe this deliberate misrepresentation of the facts is encouraging people to make decisions regarding their health care that may be harmful to their health.
In fact, I filled out the survey at MRF .. twice.
I do not have Morgellons, nor do I have it twice.
It “IS” 100% damaging to the health of particular individuals who are mentally vulnerable. For people without lesions, too, none of them understand a thing in the world about the properties of our acid mantle and stratum corneum layers in our epidermis, and that fibers, and anything else that makes contact and remains there, will end up getting embedded in it. When that ridiculously damaging “case definition” was made up of all the registered members’ other health matters, it sent way too many people into a tailspin, making them ignore “geniune”, “treatable”, conditions, thinking that they have an undiscovered “morgellons disease” pathogen to blame all their ills on.
(Take a breath, there, Smiley….”whew”…sorry.)
None of the four of us believe in Morgellons, and like JeezLouise, I’ve registered with the WTF twice. Of course, we know that the others don’t have Morgellons either.
It’s my understanding that the CDC already made an informal decision in the past, that Morgellons is a myth. It won’t be any different this time either.
Thus far, the photographic “evidence” has been counter productive to the goals of the MRF. No one, that I know of, has published any videos of fibers “growing”. Of course, we know that if fibers are “climbing” out of lesions, they are merely being expelled. They did all of their growing when they were on the cotton plant.
The creator likes the words “sprouting”.
Climbing, Growing, Sprouting… Yeah, none of these are accurate concerning the clothing fibers. They aren’t doing anything. The action is the things that are being done unto them. They are being worked and pushed to the surface of the epidermis, or into forming scabs. Fibroblasts form, entwine, and encapsulate foreign material. The WTF Foundation is putting out misinformation and exploiting their believers.
Just wanted to pop in to say I have not forgotten about you A-holes!!! I have to admit…I miss ya too~
There is an interesting entity I looked up that’s associated with skin trauma called, The Isomorphic Phenomenon Of Koebner,
in which an original trauma is followed by new lesions in the traumatized but otherwise normal skin. These new lesions are clinically and histopathologically identical to those in the diseased skin. That could make a tiny spot really get out of hand, quickly, and I’ve read morgies describing this feature. Add the element of scratching and rubbing, and one could create a case of Acquired Reactive Perforating Collagenosis. With it, the scratching, and/or rubbing, comes first, due to the itching, from many assorted causes, and then depressed lesions are formed with the collagen bundles inside.
Also, from the descriptions of many morgies I’ve read, ones, I might add, who experiment with lots of antibiotics, they sound like they have Gram-Negative Folliculitis, in which organisms are located in nests around clumps of keratinous material, around hairs, and in phagocytes.
Morgies’ photos of “specimens” are more than just fibers and germy waste material from pores and skin lesions, though. I dare to say they’re from every orifice, knowing what I’ve read, which is disturbing beyond measure. I just came across another account of someone saying “they were instructed by Mary Leitao”, when they first had contact with her, “to buy a microscope”. I’m so dumbstruck over reading that common set of instructions she issues, that gets followed, giving more rise to the already existing preoccupations these people have.
It’s odd that so many morgies are treating with physicians, using prescribed antifungals. Many such morgies note marked improvements, and they’ll stop using their topical treatments, too. What happens next, is they complain that their morgellons’ symptoms have returned with a vengeance.
Once I read of one whose family tried to reason with her that she did not have “morgellons disease”, but that her problems stemmed from her uncontrolled diabetes. She noted the link, but yet still declared it was all due to “morgellons disease”. She said she just liked to eat too much to bother controlling her diabetes.
Of course, it covers the gamut of all diseases and disorders, too, in the minds of all who think they have some mysterious, undiscovered pathogen to blame for everything they have. They truly think MRF is going to find a cure. They actually think nobody notices this, and that we should all believe in it, too.
I mustn’t leave this out. A quote: “Many of us test positive for Lyme disease and nobody knows why.”
This lie, this myth, has everyone thinking completely backwards. Or, did they always think backwards, before ever hearing of it?? I think so, but….
Go figure.
Whoops! Hey there, London. I miss you, too.
“This lie, this myth, has everyone thinking completely backwards. Or, did they always think backwards, before ever hearing of it?? I think so, but….”
No, I have to make a correction, because I don’t think everyone falls into that category, just some. Others are so ill from the conditions they have, that it has rendered them unable to reason.
what degree are u smilykins? how much r htey paying you and other meth addicted people to lie…. u got a vaccine? i bet
u sound like u swallowed the masonic handbook lol
Fred,
The Morgellons vaccine is available for everyone. It’s called a “Reality Check”. I’m sorry that it isn’t effective for morons, but maybe something better will eventually come along for dumbasses like you.
Tall Cotton
Now, Fred, you can pretend I have a degree, you can make believe I’m getting paid to voice my opinions, and you can convince yourself I’m on meth, but, lemme tell ya, you crossed the line with that masonic accusation business.
Just kidding, Fred. I liked all your comments. Laughter’s the best, and my only, medicine.
OH!!! I missed it. You meant “masonic degree”. Okay. Hahaha, no, not me. That’s great.
My son is a Mason. Should I wear a hazmat suit when he visits?
Oh, JeezeLousie, that’s a really funny sight to envision!!!
From the CDC:
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/vol9no2/02-0222.htm
Photorhabdus spp. have been the subject of intensive study by agricultural scientists because of the role these bacteria play in controlling insects. Insects, like humans, are subject to infestation by nematodes (3). Photorhabdus spp. inhabit the gut of some insect-pathogenic nematodes (Heterorhabditis spp.), where they form a symbiotic relationship. Nematode species of this type are able to invade the larvae of susceptible insects and release Photorhabdus spp. The bacteria proliferate and promote nematode reproduction by killing the insect larvae.
Insect-pathogenic nematodes harboring Photorhabdus spp are used as biopesticides in a number of countries, including the United States and Australia. Agricultural scientists are also attempting to develop insect-resistant transgenic crops by using insecticidal toxin genes derived from Photorhabdus spp. (4).
Genes encoding homologues of insecticidal toxins from Photorhabdus spp occur naturally within the genome of Yersinia pestis, the cause of plague. Lateral transfer of genetic material between Photorhabdus and Yersinia species is thought to have resulted from their common association with insects as bacterial pathogens (5).
Don’t waste your time on morgellonswatch.com. This website is being paid for by the people responsible for spreading this disease/parasite/bacteria, whatever it is.
Factual information can be found at:
http://biology-online.org/biology-forum/about1958-3324.html (note that you scroll through the posts on the biology website by using the “GoTo Page…” in the upper right hand corner.
Also see:
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/vol9no2/02-0222.htm and here is more:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=2768446&dopt=Abstract
I just found out it is from the tobacco hornworm! This is the insect that the parasitoid wasp does a number on!!
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2004/10/041025120719.htm
I have been trying to tell you guys about the ricsettsia diseases, in which they now call all of them the Bartonellas:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/12/051219084711.htm
Lice Join Ticks As Possible Disease Carriers
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/03/050328182844.htm
You all are so pathetic… well, you do have each other to lean on. Yeah, all 3 of you! It’s interesting how quickly your little clan is diminishing in numbers. Hmmmm…
Unfortunately, you are all in for such a rude awakening. As I listen to the same old lame dialouge back and forth between all of you “credible debunkers”, I can’t help but wonder why you waste SO much energy trying to prove this doesn’t exist amongst the “sane”.
Just who are you trying to convince? The world, or yourselves? You all have become amusing to me and many others. Even those who once shared your DOP view/opinion have had to eat their words and at the very least, admit they need to look in to it more before making themselves look any more foolish than they already have.
The truth always prevails! For your sake, you better pray you are right. The sad part is, that with what I know, no prayer in the world could save your predictions or your egoes.
This is some real stuff. Really twisted, scary, painful, and frustrating due to ignorant persons like yourselves. Even your names are pathetic!
smileydork,jeezelouise u r from the eightys, & of course “tallcotten=small… well, you know. You all need to get a life!!!!!
How about you do something worthwhile with your time? Go volunteer at a children’s hospital or something. You all make me feel more sick than I already am & I PROMISE you-you will feel like morons in the end.
Entertained, look at the jump in the number of viewers to Michael blog. I disagree with your comment that this doesn’t exist among the “sane”.
Many illnesses which evoke a delusional state can exist among persons who are “sane” (as you put it). I don’t like the choice of wording that implies someone as either being “sane” or “insane”. That’s archaic language to use, because there are few mental illnesses without treatments, nowadays.
Most people who think they have “morgellons disease” all have similar traits, and should have listened to, and followed their doctors’ diagnoses and advice. I’m sorry, but resist that, and suffer the consequences. Every last one of you reveals the state of mind you’re in, here, all over the internet.
Do you think it’s pleasurable for the general public to bear witness to?
Ok, that does it. I’m on strike for at least the next 8 hours. TC got sunglasses AND gas for the van. I demand a copy of D’Artagnan’s cloak from “Man in the Iron Mask”.
I’ll be at youtube, watching Criss Angel stuff, if anyone asks. After that, I’ll be looking for Suri Cruise.
Entertained, you are welcome to point out errors and ommisions in this site – let me know, and I’ll fix it.
DontWasteYourTime Says:
August 12th, 2006 at 5:58 pm
Y’all, as funny as it seems, they honest-to-gosh believe that. They’re not just trying to be cute or anything.
It feels like it, but when the realization REALLY makes its way through, it’s beyond disturbing.