Respiratory Obstruction and Hæmatemesis Due to Leech

Singh, Meharban; Naim, AhmadFarid

doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(79)92863-0

Cited by 16 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 0 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…A recent study revealed that the nose is the most common site of infestation (71%), followed by the hypopharynx (14%) [16] . Less often, leech infestations affect the lower airways causing haemoptysis, haematemesis, severe anaemia, airway obstruction or death [17] . While little is known of the symbiotic fauna for praobdellids, species of Aeromonas are known to inhabit the gastric ceca of various hirudinoid leeches [18] , [19] .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tyrannobdella rex N. Gen. N. Sp. and the Evolutionary Origins of Mucosal Leech Infestations

et al. 2010

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

BackgroundLeeches have gained a fearsome reputation by feeding externally on blood, often from human hosts. Orificial hirudiniasis is a condition in which a leech enters a body orifice, most often the nasopharyngeal region, but there are many cases of leeches infesting the eyes, urethra, vagina, or rectum. Several leech species particularly in Africa and Asia are well-known for their propensity to afflict humans. Because there has not previously been any data suggesting a close relationship for such geographically disparate species, this unnerving tendency to be invasive has been regarded only as a loathsome oddity and not a unifying character for a group of related organisms.Principal FindingsA new genus and species of leech from Perú was found feeding from the nasopharynx of humans. Unlike any other leech previously described, this new taxon has but a single jaw with very large teeth. Phylogenetic analyses of nuclear and mitochondrial genes using parsimony and Bayesian inference demonstrate that the new species belongs among a larger, global clade of leeches, all of which feed from the mucosal surfaces of mammals.ConclusionsThis new species, found feeding from the upper respiratory tract of humans in Perú, clarifies an expansion of the family Praobdellidae to include the new species Tyrannobdella rex n. gen. n.sp., along with others in the genera Dinobdella, Myxobdella, Praobdella and Pintobdella. Moreover, the results clarify a single evolutionary origin of a group of leeches that specializes on mucous membranes, thus, posing a distinct threat to human health.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tyrannobdella rex N. Gen. N. Sp. and the Evolutionary Origins of Mucosal Leech Infestations

et al. 2010

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…[3] Leeches attach to the tissue by two muscular suckers, use three teeth inside their anterior sucker for biting and blood is sucked into stomach by peristalsis. Leeches can ingest large amounts of blood into their stomach, which may weigh 8 to 9 times their body weight, and may cause severe anemia in the host.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nasal leech infestation causing persistent epistaxis

Sarathi

2011

J Emerg Trauma Shock

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Foreign bodies in the nasal cavity are commonly encountered as a cause of epistaxis; however, nasal leech infestation as a cause of unilateral persistent epistaxis is very rare. Examination of nasal cavity revealed fleshy material in the left nostril, which was identified as leech. The leech was removed with the help of an artery forceps following irrigation of the left nostril with normal saline and adopting wait-and-watch policy. In developing countries, leech infestation as a cause of epistaxis should be suspected in patients with lower socioeconomic status or in those living in rural areas who give history of drinking polluted water from, or bathing in, stagnant ponds and puddles.

show abstract

“…Leech bites to various sites, e.g. the nose, pharynx, vagina, have been reported sporadically in the literature [5][6][7]. To date there have only been 2 case reports of leeches as a cause of hematuria [2,8].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%