Leech bite

Leech bite
Classification and external resources

Freshwater leech, Grande Ronde River, Oregon (USA).
ICD-10 B83.4, B88.3
ICD-9 134.2

Leech bites are caused by leeches the class Hirudinea, which may be of marine, freshwater, or terrestrial types.[1]:434

Hand removing a leech is advised since they don't burrow into the skin nor the head in the wound,[2] while other texts advice shaking salt onto the body of the leech or scorch the leech with a cigarette or lighter. Because of the risk of regurgitation and infection, other texts advice against these last techniques.[3]

See also

References

  1. ^ James, William D.; Berger, Timothy G.; et al. (2006). Andrews' Diseases of the Skin: clinical Dermatology. Saunders Elsevier. ISBN 0-7216-2921-0. 
  2. ^ Burke, Don (2005). The complete Burke's backyard: the ultimate book of fact sheets. Murdoch Books. pp. 647. ISBN 1740457390. http://books.google.com/books?id=MMMjW6AuzHAC. Retrieved 2009-09-11. 
  3. ^ Fujimoto, Gary; Marc Robin and Bradford Dessery (2003). The Traveler's Medical Guide. Prairie Smoke Press. pp. 298. ISBN 0970448252. http://books.google.com/books?id=ah-85u5kmywC. Retrieved 2009-09-11.