Possible detection of physiological state disorders with the help of medicinal leeches Hirudo verbana Carena, 1820
Diagnostic study published in Ann Parasitol (2023)
Abstract
In the experiment, 160 medicinal leeches of the species Hirudo verbana Carena, 1820 were studied. Medicinal leeches were fed on the blood of animals and people (conditionally healthy and diseased). Four leeches were taken from each animal/person. The animals were studied for 3 weeks. Mortality was mostly observed in the first days after feeding on the blood of the host. We noted mortality, the appearance of constrictions on the leeches' body, the intensity of the host blood spitting from their body. The host's blood was taken from their stomach on the first day after feeding. Hematological and immunological indicators of blood were determined in the taken blood of the host. As a result of the study of the blood of the sick, significant changes were found, compared to conditionally healthy ones. It was manifested by an increase in erythrocytes and leukocytes. The leukocyte formula looked like in most pathological conditions of the inflammatory process. The obtained indicators of the experiment make it possible to quickly assess the presence of physiological disorders in the early stages of the disease.
Abstract sourced from PubMed (NCBI) for the cited record. See the original publication for the authoritative version.
Резюме
Demonstrates early disease detection using H. verbana feeding behaviour and hematological changes when leeches feed on diseased versus healthy blood.
Почему это важно для гирудотерапии
This study investigated whether feeding medicinal leeches (Hirudo verbana) on blood from conditionally healthy and diseased humans and animals could help detect physiological state disorders at early stages. The researchers observed leech mortality, physical changes such as constrictions on the body, blood-spitting intensity, and measured hematological and immunological indicators of the ingested host blood over a three-week period. The study found significant changes in blood from sick hosts compared to healthy ones, including increased erythrocytes and leukocytes and a leukocyte formula resembling inflammatory processes, while mortality was mostly observed in the first days after feeding. However, this research is diagnostic in focus, using leeches as biological sensors rather than evaluating hirudotherapy, and it provides no data on therapeutic efficacy or clinical applications.
Цитирование
Possible detection of physiological state disorders with the help of medicinal leeches Hirudo verbana Carena, 1820.
Aminov R · Annals of parasitology, 2023
Связанный клинический контекст
Узнайте, как это исследование связано с клинической практикой
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