Doctors discover live leech in woman’s nose after fishing trip
A woman in Daklak province, Vietnam had a nosebleed that lasted for days after returning from a fishing trip.
According to 8world, the woman went to the hospital for her condition on 3 Apr. That was when the doctors discovered a foreign object moving around in her nose.
She then underwent surgery and had a 6cm-long live leech removed from her nasal cavity.
“The leech grew to more than 6cm long because it was in a good environment. The patient had a nasal infection and the nasal mucosa was severely swollen and ulcerated,” the doctor said.
The woman later revealed that she had gone fishing at a stream more than a week ago, which was when the leech may have entered her nose without her knowledge.
Source: 8world
Experts recommend long sleeves and pants
When going on outdoor trips, especially places deep in nature like forests and water bodies, there are several things to take note of.
Experts highly recommend people to wear long sleeves and long pants to reduce the risk of getting bitten by leeches, or having them enter your body.
An effective tip is to wear high socks and tuck the pants inside the socks.
There are also insect repellents containing DEET, which is an active ingredient in insect repellents effective in repelling most biting insects.
If trekking or hiking, make sure to avoid sitting or lying directly on the ground, especially if it rains. Leeches often hide within dry leaves on muddy ground.
Make sure to check your body and clothes regularly as well, for anything that may be hanging off you.
This is not the first time such a case has been reported.
In 2019, a local woman in the Ha Giang province in Vietnam underwent surgery to remove a leech from her throat after three months of migraines.
Four years earlier, BBC reported the case of a 24-year-old backpacker from Edinburgh who found a 3-inch (7.5cm) leech in her nose after touring Southeast Asia.
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Featured image adapted from 8world.
