Antibiotic sensitivities of Aeromonas hydrophila cultured from medicinal leeches

Increased use of medicinal leeches (Hirudo medicinalis) for the treatment of venous congestion in flaps and replanted parts has coincided with reports of soft tissue infections following leech application. We cultured the gullets of 20 medicinal leeches to re-examine the antibiotic sensitivities of Aeromonas hydrophila, the leech enteric organism associated with reported infections. These isolates reflected reported resistance to penicillin and first generation cephalosporins as well as sensitivity to gentamicin, tetracycline and chloramphenicol. Additionally, the cultures were sensitive to cefamandol, cefoxitin and two third generation cephalosporins (cefoperazone and cefotaxime). These findings suggest that cefamandol, cefoxitin and some third generation cephalosporins may have a role as perioperative antibiotics in replantation and flap surgery. These antibiotics might provide prophylaxis against Aeromonas hydrophila infection when leech use is required.

Abstract sourced from PubMed (NCBI) for the cited record. See the original publication for the authoritative version.

Cultured 20 leech gullets confirmed Aeromonas hydrophila resistance to penicillin and first-generation cephalosporins, with sensitivity to gentamicin, tetracycline, chloramphenicol, cefamandol and cefoxitin.

Erfahren Sie, wie diese Forschung mit der klinischen Praxis verknüpft ist

More peer-reviewed studies in Antimikrobielle Resistenz.

• Novel Leech Antimicrobial Peptides — Hirunipins — Kumar et al. (2025)
• Leech therapy (Hirudo medicinalis) attenuates testicular damages induced by testicular ischemia/reperfusion in an animal model — Davoodi F et al. (2021)
• AIF-1 and RNASET2 Play Complementary Roles in the Innate Immune Response of Medicinal Leech — Baranzini N et al. (2019)
• Medicinal leech antimicrobial peptides lacking toxicity represent a promising alternative strategy to combat antibiotic-resistant pathogens — Grafskaia E et al. (2019)
• Antimicrobial Role of RNASET2 Protein During Innate Immune Response in the Medicinal Leech — Baranzini N et al. (2020)
• Morganella Morganii Infection in Hirudo Medicinalis (Iran): A Case Report — Rahmati Holasoo H et al. (2022)
• Clinical efficacy of Jalaukawacharana (leech application) in Thrombosed piles — Bhagat P, Raut S, Lakhapati A (2012)
• Determination of disulfide linkages in antimicrobial peptides of the macin family by combination of top-down and bottom-up proteomics — Hung CW, Jung S, Grötzinger J, Gelhaus C, Leippe M, Tholey A (2014)
• Molecular characterization of two novel antibacterial peptides inducible upon bacterial challenge in an annelid, the leech Theromyzon tessulatum — Tasiemski A, Vandenbulcke F, Mitta G, Lemoine J, Lefebvre C, Sautière PE, Salzet M (2004)
• Macin family of antimicrobial proteins combines antimicrobial and nerve repair activities — Jung S, Sönnichsen FD, Hung CW et al. (2012)

Browse all ASH-analysed research →