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CDC AND MORGELLONS DISEASEHistorical Highlights and Current StatusMaterial posted below is only the most recent. The CDC Morgellon case line was tested by Dr. Schaller Oct 6th, 2007 and was working. For details on the investigation of Morgellons disease in the U.S., please call pre-recorded Morgellons disease info line at CDC to hear a brief statement about this illness. You can leave a message at the end of the recording, if you choose. 404-718-1199 You can email the CDC about Morgellons here: Morgellonssyndrome@CDC.gov Obviously, any information should be initially terse and clear--allow them to draw out details when they follow up. Based on the work of the "MRF" which is the Morgellons Research Foundation, listed below, it appears that the best response to this illness is through local senators and/or ones involved in CDC oversight. ***************May 2004: June 2004: April 2005: October 2005: November 29, 2005: February 14, 2006: April 2006: April 2006: May 2006: June 2006: November 2006: December 2006: CDC, in conjunction with the CA Department of Health Services, informed the media that an official CDC investigation of Morgellons disease would be launched in the state of California in August 2006. The start of the investigation was delayed until September 2006, and then again to October 2006. CDC then stated that the investigation in California would likely take place in the first quarter of 2007. March 28,2007 June 12, 2007 July 2007 August 1, 2007 "Morgellons is an unexplained and debilitating condition that has emerged as a public health concern. Recently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has received an increased number of inquiries from the public, health care providers, public health officials, Congress, and the media regarding this condition. Persons who suffer from this condition report a range of coetaneous symptoms including crawling, biting and stinging sensations; granules, threads or black speck-like materials on or beneath the skin; and/or skin lesions (e.g., rashes or sores) and some sufferers also report systemic manifestations such as fatigue, mental confusion, short term memory loss, joint pain, and changes in vision. Moreover, some who suffer from this condition appear to have substantial morbidity and social dysfunction, which can include decreased work productivity or job loss, total disability, familial estrangement, divorce, loss of child custody, home abandonment, and suicidal ideation. As of February 2007, approximately 10,000 families had registered with the Morgellon's Research Foundation (MRF) and felt they or a family member met criteria for Morgellons as defined by the MRF. Of the U.S. families in the MRF registry, 24% reside in California with geographic clustering in the San Francisco metropolitan area. The etiology of this condition is unknown, and the medical community has insufficient information to determine whether persons who identify themselves as having this condition have a common cause for their symptoms or share common risk factors. An epidemiologic investigation is needed to better characterize the clinical and epidemiologic features of this condition; to generate hypotheses about factors that may cause or contribute to sufferers' symptoms; and to estimate the prevalence of the condition in the population; and to provide information to guide public health recommendations. A contractor is needed who can provide timely services to assist the CDC in the investigation of this emerging public health problem." Description of the Work: 2.1. Describe the clinical and epidemiologic features of persons who have reported themselves as having this unexplained skin condition, including assessing the frequency of co-morbid conditions (e.g., neurocognitive deficits, neurologic conditions, major psychiatric disorders). 2.2. Collect information to generate hypotheses about possible risk factors for this condition. 2.3. Assess the histopathologic features of the skin condition based on skin biopsies from a sample of affected patients. 2.4. Characterize fibers or threads obtained from patients with the condition to determine their potential etiology. 2.5. Describe the geographic distribution and estimate rates of illness. 2.6. Describe health care utilization among persons with the condition. The timeline: 4.1. IRB [Independent Review Board] Clearance October 30, 2007 4.2. Database of potential cases (study cohort) November 30, 2007 4.3. Database containing all results of clinical evaluations, Including recorded histories and physicals, laboratory tests (See Attachment 001 for required laboratory tests), chest x-rays, digital photos, neuorcognitive/neuropsychiatric examinations. March 1, 2008 4.4. All skin biopsy specimens and fiber samples collected from case-patients. March 1, 2008 4.5. Electronic database containing demographic information, zip code of residence, relevant past health history, such as medications, provider visits, and hospitalizations for cases. Database should include a unique patient identifier to allow linkage of clinical and other test results with demographic, healthcare utilization, and survey data. April 30, 2008 4.6. Database with denominators for all visits (total and by specialty) and hospitalizations during study period to allow estimation of disease rates in the population. May 30, 2008 |
