Severe anemia due to the pharyngeal leech Limnatis nilotica in a child.
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.
Ağin
Hasan
H
Dr. Behçet Uz Hospital of Educational and Research of Children Diseases and Surgery Clinic of Pediatry, Izmir, Turkey.
Ayhan
Fahri Yüce
FY
Gülfidan
Gamze
G
Cevik
Didem
D
Derebaşi
Hürriyet
H
D000740:Anemia / Q000209:etiology*; D000818:Animals; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004844:Epistaxis / Q000150:complications / Q000469:parasitology*; D005260:Female; D006469:Hemoptysis / Q000150:complications / Q000469:parasitology*; D006801:Humans; D007865:Leeches / Q000145:classification / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D010272:Parasitic Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D010614:Pharynx / Q000469:parasitology*