Leech in the Rectum Causing Lower GI Bleeding in a Four Years Old Child: A Case Report
Case report published in Ethiop J Health Sci (2020)
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Leeches belong to a group of annelids of the class Hirudinea which are blood feeding ecto-parasites of humans, wild animals and domesticated animals. A leech can suck out as much blood as ten times its own weight. Leech can occur at different sites in humans commonly in the eyes, nasopharynx, larynx, urethra, and vagina and rarely in the rectum. CASE DETAILS: This is a four years old male child who presented with painless, bright red rectal bleeding for two weeks. Heamatocrit was 9.2%. Leech was removed from the rectum by letting the child sit on a bucket of water. The patient was transfused, followed for 24 hours and discharged with iron sulphate syrup. CONCLUSION: Leech infestation should be considered in the differential diagnosis of a child presenting with hematochezia.
Abstract sourced from PubMed (NCBI) for the cited record. See the original publication for the authoritative version.
Summary
Case report of a 4-year-old child with lower GI bleeding caused by a leech in the rectum. Documents diagnostic workup, removal, and outcome.
Why This Matters for Hirudotherapy
This case report describes a 4-year-old boy who presented with two weeks of painless bright red rectal bleeding and a hematocrit of 9.2%, from whom a leech was removed by having the child sit on a bucket of water; the patient was transfused and discharged with iron supplementation. The authors recommend considering leech infestation in the differential diagnosis of pediatric hematochezia. This article documents pathogenic rectal leech parasitism, not therapeutic hirudotherapy or leech-derived therapeutics, and therefore has no direct relevance to ASH's domain.
Citation
Leech in the Rectum Causing Lower GI Bleeding in a Four Years Old Child: A Case Report.
Tilahun T et al. · Ethiopian journal of health sciences, 2020
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