Severe anemia due to the pharyngeal leech Limnatis nilotica in a child

Turkiye Parazitol Derg. 2008;32(3):247-8.

Abstract

Leech infestation can cause many different clinical symptoms such as epistaxis, haemoptysis, haematemesis, and vaginal bleeding. Therefore leech infestation should be considered as a cause of unexplained severe anemia in rural areas where aquatic leeches are common. In this paper we report a case of pharyngeal leech infestation (Limnatis nilotica) presenting with haemoptysis, and epistaxis which resulted in difficulty in making a diagnosis.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Anemia / etiology*
  • Animals
  • Child, Preschool
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Epistaxis / complications
  • Epistaxis / parasitology*
  • Female
  • Hemoptysis / complications
  • Hemoptysis / parasitology*
  • Humans
  • Leeches / classification
  • Leeches / pathogenicity*
  • Parasitic Diseases / complications*
  • Parasitic Diseases / diagnosis
  • Pharynx / parasitology*