Table 1 Characteristics of 11 included Case reports
Author, year | Age, gender | Country | Symptoms at presentation | Leech binding-location | Probable source | Hemoglobin (g/dl) | Endoscopy/Colonoscopy/Laryngoscopy report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tilahun et al. 2020 [6] | 4, Male | Ethiopia | Rectal bleeding, vomiting | Rectum | Small river near their house | NR | NR |
Narayan et al. 2017 [13] | 18, Male | India | Rectal bleeding, tenesmus | Rectum | Water logged field | 4.96 | presence of an ulcer of size 0.5 cm × 1 cm with hooklets and the head of leech attached at 10 cm from anal verge |
Mamoudou et al. 2015 [14] | 3, Male | Niger | Hematemesis, melena, epigastralgia | Behind the glottis | Drinking freshwater | 5.15 | endoscopic exploration revealed a normal-appearing mucosa |
Kani et al. 2014 [12] | 72, Male | Turkey | Hematemesis | Hypo-pharyngeal | Drinking water from an open trough | 7.26 | Several crater-type lesions located in oropharynx, tongue, esophagus, stomach |
Koraichi et al. 2014 [8] | 3, Female | Morocco | Melena, epistaxis | Nasopharynx | Drinking freshwater | 4.34 | Nasopharynx bleeding, small red mass in the pharynx. |
Abuhandan et al. 2012 [15] | 5, Male | Turkey | Epistaxis, hematemesis | Oropharynx | NR | 4.59 | NR |
Rafeey et al. 2012 [16] | 9, Male | Iran | Hematemesis, fever | Nasopharynx | Bathed in a pond | 7.26 | Endoscopy: normal, detected with ENT examination |
Al et al. 2011 [9] | 33, Male | Turkey | Rectal bleeding, anorectal discomfort | Rectum | Swimming in a contaminated pool | 6.21 | Dark brown, smooth foreign body just above the internal hemorrhoid swelling |
Taskesen et al. 2009 [7] | 1, Male | Turkey | Cough, coryza, epistaxis, hematemesis | Nose | Deep well near the family home | 2.79 | NR |
Basu et al. 2004 [17] | 4, Female | India | Rectal bleeding | Large bowel | NR | 4.34 | No active bleeding site was seen |
Demirören et al. 2003 [5] | 3, Male | Turkey | Exhaustion, pallor, hematemesis, melena | Oropharynx | Pool near the family home | 1.86 | NR |
Raj et al. 2000 [18] | 68, Female | Malaysia | Rectal bleeding, sensation of wanting to defecate | Rectum | NR | 3.97 | Fresh blood in the rectum and sigmoid colon |
Iraqi et al. 1999 [19] | 1.5, Male | Morocco | Hematemesis, dyspnea | Laryngopharyngeal | Bathed in fresh water | 4.96 | Nothing pathological in the digestive tract |
Estambale et al. 1992 [20] | 3, Male | Kenya | Cough, hematemesis, epistaxis | Not sure | NR | 2.61 | NR |
el-Awad et al. 1990 [21] | 10, Male | Saudi Arabia | Hematemesis, melena, epistaxis | Posterior pharyngeal wall | Bathed in ponds and sometimes drank water from them | Low | Did not show any abnormality |
Singh et al. 1979 [22] | 3, Male | Kabul | Cough, dyspnea, hematemesis | Not sure | Pond which is heavily infested with leeches | NR | NR |