A Case Report on Leech Infestation as a Cause of Severe Anemia in a 10-Month-Old Infant in Ethiopia

BACKGROUND: Leeches are blood sucking hermaphroditic parasites belonged to the phylum Annelida of the class Hirudinea. Based on the location of leech infestation, the patient may present with anemia and respiratory symptoms. Even though Leech infestation is mentioned as common problem in African countries and the common cause of anemia, especially in children but it is not mentioned as a cause of severe anemia in an infant. CASE PRESENTATION: In this paper, we are reporting a 10 months old baby presented to Debre Tabor General Hospital with nasal bleeding and blood tingled vomiting of four days duration. With the diagnosis of severe anemia secondary to leech infestation, she was transfused with 360 mL of whole blood and the leech was removed from the oropharynx with McGill forceps. She was followed for 48 hours. There was no ongoing bleeding; the vital signs became stable, and then patient's parents were advised to boil drinking water before use. Finally, the infant discharged with improvement. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION: We concluded that leech infestation should be included as the differential diagnosis of an infant presented with nasal bleeding and blood tingled vomiting who came from rural areas.

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

A 10-month-old Ethiopian infant presented with nasal bleeding and blood-tinged vomiting; severe anemia was attributed to leech infestation, and after transfusion and removal of the leech from the oropharynx she recovered and was discharged.

Explore how this research connects to clinical practice

More peer-reviewed studies in Safety & Infection Control.

• Improvement of patient care through hirudotherapy and the management of leeches from their reception to their disposal in France — Vaesken C et al. (2023)
• Hirudotherapy (medicinal leeches) for treatment of upper airway obstruction in a dog — Trenholme H, Masseau I, Reinero C (2021)
• Analysis of antibiotic resistant infections associated with hirudotherapy — Brauer P et al. (2024)
• Kounis syndrome due to hirudotherapy (leech therapy) in emergency department; a case report — Çakmak T et al. (2018)
• Complications of leech therapy — Pourrahimi M, Abdi M, Ghods R (2020)
• Medicinal leech therapy and Aeromonas spp. infection — Verriere B et al. (2016)
• Rethinking antimicrobial prophylaxis in patients receiving medicinal leech therapy — McCracken J, Koehler S, Sharma R (2022)
• Prophylactic use of levofloxacin during medicinal leech therapy — Bauters T et al. (2014)
• Leech Application-related Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding: A Case Report — Dolek U et al. (2023)
• A clinical trial for evaluation of leech application in the management of Vicarcikā (Eczema) — Shankar K et al. (2014)

Browse all ASH-analysed research →