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Delusional parasitosis
Delusional parasitosis A mistaken belief that one is infested by parasites such as mites, lice, fleas, spiders, worms, or other organisms.
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Lice
Tiny wingless insects that feed on human blood, most often on the scalp. Spread by skin-to-skin contact and by sharing clothes, combs, and bedding.
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Delusion
A false belief based on incorrect inference about external reality that is firmly sustained despite what almost everyone else believes and despite what constitutes incontrovertible and obvious proof or evidence to the contrary. The belief is not one ordinarily accepted by other members of the person's culture or subculture (e.g., it is not an article of religious faith). When a false belief involves a value judgment, it is regarded as a delusion only when the judgment is so extreme as to defy credibility. Delusional conviction occurs on a continuum and can sometimes be inferred from an individual's behavior. It is often difficult to distinguish between a delusion and an overvalued idea (in which case the individual has an unreasonable belief or idea but does not hold it as firmly as is the case with a delusion). Delusions are subdivided according to their content. Some of the more common types are: bizarre; delusional jealousy; grandiose; delusion of reference; persecutory; somatic; thought broadcasting; thought insertion.
Delusion of reference
A delusion whose theme is that events, objects, or other persons in one's immediate environment have a particular and unusual significance. These delusions are usually of a negative or pejorative nature, but also may be grandiose in content. This differs from an idea of reference, in which the false belief is not as firmly held nor as fully organized into a true belief.
Delusional jealousy
The delusion that one's sexual partner is unfaithful. erotomanic A delusion that another person, usually of higher status, is in love with the individual.
Delusions
A condition in which the patient has lost touch with reality and experiences hallucinations and misperceptions.
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Deletion
Loss of a segment of DNA from a chromosome (and hence from the genome).
Delirium tremens
A neurological symptom of alcohol withdrawal seen in chronic alcoholism, with includes symptoms of psychosis. These may include uncontrollable trembling, hallucinations, severe anxiety, sweating, and sudden feelings of terror. Delirium tremens can be both frightening and, in severe cases, deadly. Treatment includes observation, comfort care, and in some cases medication.
Delivery, breech
Delivery in which the buttocks present before the head.
Delivery, footling
There are single-footling or double-footling deliveries depending upon whether the presenting part of the baby at delivery is just one foot or both feet.
Delta cell, pancreatic
A type of cell in the pancreas (the organ of the digestive system located behind the stomach). Within the pancreas, the delta cells are located in areas called the islets of Langerhans. The delta cells make somatostatin, a hormone that inhibits the release of numerous hormones in the body.
Delusional parasitosis
Demarcation
A setting of limits; a boundary; marking the limits of, delimiting; setting apart, separating. The word "demarcation" is used in medicine mainly in the sense of determining and marking off boundaries. For example, the surface demarcation in respect to damaged tissue can refer to the boundary between the living tissue and the necrotic (dead) tissue.
Demonophobia
An abnormal and persistent fear of evil supernatural beings in persons who believe such beings exist and roam freely to cause harm. Those who suffer from this phobia realize their fear is excessive or irrational. Nevertheless, they become unduly anxious when discussing demons, when venturing alone into woods or a dark house, or when watching films about demonic possession and exorcism.
Demyelination
A degenerative process that erodes away the myelin sheath that normally protects nerve fibers. Demyelination exposes these fibers and appears to cause problems in nerve impulse conduction that may affect many physical systems. Demyelinization is seen in a number of diseases, particularly multiple sclerosis. Diagnosis is by functional observation and by testing for myelin protein in the blood.
Dendritic
Referring to a dendrite, a short arm-like protuberance from a nerve cell (a neuron). Dendrites from neurons next to one another are tipped by synapses (tiny transmitters and receivers for chemical messages between the cells).
Dendritic cell
A special type of cell that is a key regulator of the immune system, acting as a professional antigen-presenting cell (APC) capable of activating naïve T cells and stimulating the growth and differentiation of B cells.
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