2cm long live leech removed from eye of 8 year old patient in Nghe An
(Baonghean.vn) - On the morning of June 17, a doctor at a general clinic in Quy Hop removed a leech living in the eye of a child patient, Ha Van Hau (born 2012), residing in Chau Binh commune (Quy Chau).
3-4 days before, Ha Van Hau felt uncomfortable and had a scratchy eye. Worried about Hau's condition, his family took him to a local clinic. The doctor examined him and found that his left eye was red, showing signs of conjunctivitis.
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| Removing a 2cm live leech parasitizing the eye of patient Ha Van Hau. Photo: Phan Giang |
When examining under a microscope, the doctor was shocked to discover a moving leech on the patient's upper eyelid, one end firmly attached to the conjunctiva of the eyelid. Immediately, the 2cm long leech was removed, at that time the leech had sucked quite a lot of blood from the patient.
According to Hau's family, the leech may have gotten into his eye while drinking water from the stream.
| A 2cm long leech was removed from a child's eye. Clip: Phan Giang |
The doctor at the clinic said that leeches are leech-like parasites that usually live in tropical forests and mature by sucking the blood of their hosts. When leeches crawl into the eyes, if they are left for a long time, they will cause keratitis and endophthalmitis. When people suspect that leeches have crawled into their bodies, they should immediately go to a specialized medical facility for examination and treatment.
