Letter to the Editor of The Examiner, San Francisco

The CDC recently released and posted online Clinical, epidemiologic, histopathologic and molecular features of an unexplained dermopathy which included a map showing a cluster of Morgellons Disease sufferers associated with the Guadalupe River watershed downstream from the New Almaden Mercury Mines. While some in the medical world suggest this symptoms set best fits in the diagnosis of Delusional Parasitosis, my research and experience suggests symptoms relate to mercury toxicity (see Keleher in Explore! Journal for the medical professional- issues 17.4, 17.6, 20.5, and 21.1). Paresthesia (crawling, biting, poking sensations under/on skin) is a known symptom of mercury poisoning (see accounts of Minimata, Japan as well as Northern Iraq or do a search on pubmed.gov of “mercury” and “parensthesia”). The best means of determining a systemic body burden of mercury may be testing gluathione levels. I believe further investigations are needed.