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MALASSEZIA - MORGELLONS - DEMODEX OR PARASITES

Malassezia Yeast, Morgellons, Demodex or Parasites?
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    Samples Under Microscope1 MB
Back in time when i first created the original ‘Sonata’s Story’ Blog
seeing how events were developing fast in regard to increasing visitor numbers, 
i decided to create an improved version and  ‘Malassezia – My Story’ was born...
On the Banners on Both sites one can see the inclusion of Demodex and Morgellons
as well as Fungal infections, simply because at the time i was searching and trying
to find out what the problem was as the symptoms were multiple and confusing.
I have written the story of how it was all initially thought as head lice, then body lice,
then scabies, then parasites, then demodex, then morgellons and along the search line
i was taking a slice of a theory from different forum gyrations, aided by photos
and symptoms described, some matching some not, and the theory kept changing
while i was frantically trying to deal with a Medusa like of a Devil.
I spent hundreds of dollars and donned on me near lethal quantities of any chemicals
i could get my hands onto, and i fought my husband tooth and claw against the idea
of buying a Microscope – what would be the point? the Google photo
and some symptoms mentioned on other sites indicated clearly
that i had Morgellons so why spend extra money for a microscope?
 – until thankfully in the end being out of solutions or reliable identification
and the Morgellons stories starting to unfold for me like a script out of Dr WHO
i was finally persuaded and grudgingly agreed for us to get a Digital one.
This, initially opened the path to more confusion, feelings of horror
and resistance accepting what stared back at me, but then i got down to work
and numerous photos were taken of equally numerous samples
from everywhere i could collect them from both of us.
Soon its usefulness became apparent when we were able to view
what by the naked eye looked like bumpy, pimply hair follicles,
      that were in fact creature infested and impregnated, 
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 Hair Follicle1 MB
   and what was even more difficult to see clearly but felt painful and itchy
                    in the private area, that were purple bumps 
                                                                                     
Purple Bumps on Labia1 MB

           and how they opened and augmented as they developed
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Malassezia  Lesion1 MB
            or  how the Creature was Liquid and Mobile such as on fingers 
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Malassezia on Fingers1
    Still there were many questions and identification still very hard
other than knowing whatever it was it did Not look like Lice or Scabies.
At the time my entire body was covered with regularly erupting bumps,
scratch lines and lesions and my hair thickly gluey, comb impenetrable
                              and falling by the clumps.
      These were some of the photos of ‘allegedly’ Morgellons symptoms
i compared with what looked almost identical to the lesions i had on my body:
  M Google Images 1 MB

         Under the Digital Microscope i could see some short black fibres
                                      ... seemingly moving!
                   I dismissed as possible clothe or carpet fibres 
        I was desperate enough to be gullible enough not only to believe
                     but to even try this ... Morgellon’s... ‘cure’:
“Have a Bath with Sun powdered laundry detergent with Colorsafe Bleach PLUS Alfalfa tablets.
These seem to combine to produce something that is lethal to the machines. (Machines???)
This cure for Morgellon's disease was discovered by accident.” Cure???
                         ( accident! sounds more like it ... Lol!...)
No need to say it was a Laughable Proposition of Zilts Results 
   despite many boxes of washing powder and bottles of Alfalfa, 
                   if one could be in a mood to laugh...
Soon it was obvious that this magnification was not adequate
and something stronger closer to professional level was needed
– but again my man had to fight me even though i could now see
the need for it myself - but i could also see the hundreds of dollars
having escalated to thousands - without any results to show... 
Eventually, i gave in and we bought the Biological Microscope.
In retrospect, one of the Best things we could have ever done!
After initial familiarisation with the viewing, things started to look
        seriously ‘Interesting’ as well as helping to clarify
         some of the mysteries viewed by the Digital one.
Many samples later, when we could repeatedly and unfailingly see
                      the constant presence of ‘SOMETHING’
                    i started searching Google and G/ Images
            for Parasites, alleged Morgellons fibres and Demodex,
             using as many variations of keywords i could think of
so the engines would bring as many links and / or photos as possible...
While searching i saw photos that burned the retinas of my eyes,
burned holes in my brain and memory - and made me sick in the stomach,
                                  yet i still kept pressing on.
               None of the Countless ones we saw of Parasites
         seemed to match the ones we could see in Our samples
                    – they looked somewhat similar? ... yet not!...
          Neither did they seem to match any of the Morgellons ones
           despite the many almost identical resemblance of lesions
             and other physical symptoms on photos of body parts.
We could see Fibres very clearly under the B microscope,
and unlike the ones that looked only black under the Digital,
some of the same sample ones as well as of many others,
looked bright Red, well formed, rounded and robust,
some looked Maroon, and some grayish, empty and dishevelled, 
and much like dendrites opened up in some parts and disintegrating.
     Some samples of crystalline shards, revealed developing fibres (1)
    and only one among many samples of mine, while a few of my man’s,
              showed what very closely resembled a Demodex.(2-3)
Samples Under Microscope1 MB
    Having no other way of finding out the identity of viewed items
            i posted some photos and a desperate message
        in a Microscope related  Forum where people were posting photos
        and  Microscope related discussions, some as hobby
            and - as i understood it- some as professionals 
                        – and so  i enlisted their help.
Many responded trying to help but no one could tell with certainty
except for One person who presented me with their full name and credentials
and Related work in the Field and Identified one of the Photos  
 as a Yeast Fungus but  as a good Professional refrained from making
a diagnosis and urged me to see... a Specialist... which i did ... twice!
but turned out to be a very painful, extremely regretful experience ...
                    and a hopeless - dead case one... 
Nevertheless, i am eternally Grateful to that Gentleman
that made the effort to respond to my plea
because his input help me Immensely and changed my Life
                       or rather Saved it!!
I must confess here, that knowing nothing about Yeast Fungus
i was initially rather sceptical about the correctness of the identification
but having practically ruled out the Parasite case and finding nothing under
either one of the Microscopes that could substantiate the Morgellons case
and remembering also my man exclaiming loud the very first time
       we saw movement under the Digital Microscope:
              “Geeeesus!... this looks like Fungus!...”
   i thought if nothing else, out of courtesy to this  Gentleman
         - and an experienced Professional  for that matter-
i should search Google and Google Images and see if there is anything
that resembled the ‘Yeast Fungus’ identification of our samples.
  And here came the most Significant Revelation!

Photos 1- 2: Our samples                                    
   Malassezia  Hyphae with Nodules1 MB

                                        Photo 3 – 4:

                       Google images/ Photo sources:

M Google Images 2 MB



 Identical looking FibresDistinctive Nodulated joints and abundant presence 
of surrounding spores? / ‘meatballs’ – which unfortunately are not visible
in our photos due to poor ‘phone camera’ quality- despite absolute clarity 
                when viewed under the Biological Microscope!
On the assumption that the above ‘Lab Photos’ published on Google Images
are showing correctly identified and named the Samples
as Malassezia Yeast Fungus and after comparing the striking similarity of details
               i was left with absolutely no doubt any more
and targeted both my Research and Treatment efforts in that direction.
Many more samples from both of us from as many areas as we could collect
repeatedly showed the same theme, over and over and over
Malassezia fibres/hyphae - coloured according to the different
stages of development, e.g. bright red when freshly drawn blood 
 marron later on, dark gray at end of cycle, light gray at beginning
of disintegration and light ash colour gray with a dendrite appearance
                   when breaking open and falling apart.
No movement of the liquid stage was visible under the Biological Microscope
as we did not use any medium –we just placed the samples under the lenses-
showing only as liquid ‘appearance’ but the movement of the liquid stage
            was clearly visible under the Digital Microscope.
The unseen movement became apparent when the samples were viewed again
a few days later indicating very perceptible growth or augmentation.
Now let us  Compare some of Our Photos with some Google Images:
                                                 Alleged Morgellons         
M Google Images 1 MB

                                                 Ours - Malassezia 
Malassezia Lesions 6  MB

                                                  Alleged Morgellons         
   M Google Images 2  MB
                                            ( Malassezia ( Ours )

Scratch Lines-Discolouration Patches 1 MB

                                       (Click on Images to enlarge)
Note Nail....
                                           M Google Images 3 MB

          Nail in the above 'Morgellons' photo is highly Fungus infected

   Also many Blood spots and lines visible  -another Malassezia characteristic


         Below how Nails can deceptively Look healthy to the Naked eye (1-2 )
Malassezia and Nails3 MB

               And  what a view with a Digital microscope can reveal (1-2):

Infected Nails1 MB

                        ( Note similarity with the ‘Morgellons’ one – (3) )

                                                         *

   Regarding Morgellons, according to one Online Source:
"This condition is not currently recognized as a distinct clinical disorder
          with established diagnostic criteria that are generally accepted
                                         by the medical community...”
This does not mean Morgellons does not exist - but simply that
i do not feel i am qualified to verify its existence or validity of symptoms etc.
In my view – and there is always a good chance for error – either many cases
of simple Malassezia Yeast symptoms are Mistaken or Confused as Morgellons
or If Morgellons as such exists, causes the onset of aggravated Malassezia symptoms.
  Incidentally, this Morgellons Photo shown above
  also appears as Lyme Disease in Google Images!
    L Google Images1  MB

                         So... Who named it Morgellons 
                        and Who named it Lyme disease
           and most importantly  
                    Which one Is It?...
             If indeed ... Any of Either???
                                Lyme disease is Detectable
                              And Treatable with Antibiotics.
                                (At least in the early stages)
For me, what is More important  than either Naming or Category  
is  Finding ways to either Control its devastating symptoms
or an Overall Effective Internal Cure 
where i consider the origin and proliferation is taking place
- a belief i have finally arrived at after many months of observations.
Control i have already achieved to the greatest degree achievable
at least so far - but there is no ground that can be guaranteed
              as permanently gained and established.
Therefore, i have been hoping and working towards finding an actual
and hopefully more lasting treatment,  either by means
of some aid or by changing and enhancing my immune system
while in the meantime applying the methods that keep it under control
          and minimise both the Malassezia presence
      as well as manifestation or severity of symptoms
             thus making the everyday life liveable.
                                         Sonata
 Note: This Entry was first published 2 years or so ago
           Since then greater Insight into Malassezia reality
           has been gained and presented in more recent entries
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                                       Relevant Topics:
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(More Entries about  Morgellons see Malassezia Daily * Blog)