title: Multiple pseudolymphomas caused by Hirudo medicinalis therapy.
abstract: Therapy with medicinal leeches (Hirudo medicinalis) is now frequently applied in plastic surgery and in the management of chronic venous insufficiency. We observed a patient in whom firm, brown-red, pea-sized papules developed at each site where leeches had been applied on the lower legs. Histology, immunohistology, and molecular analysis of T-cell receptor and immunoglobulin heavy chain gene rearrangement proved these lesions to be follicular pseudolymphomas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Smolle
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cerroni
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kerl
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007865:Leeches; D008875:Middle Aged; D019310:Pseudolymphoma / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D014689:Venous Insufficiency / Q000628:therapy