In another thread Rapala mentioned leeches at Iren

L

Land Locked

Senior Member
In another thread Rapala mentioned leeches at Irene. This raises an interesting issue.

1. What dangers do leeches hold for us from a medical viewpoint?

2. In which of our dams / rivers would we find them?

3. If I am silly enough to go and stand in Rietvlei after Rapala's warning, how do I remove these horrid little bloodsuckers from my body?

I have heard of a few methods over the years and somehow I find it hard to believe that a flame to the leech is the only way to get it to let go.
 
R

Reefman

Sealiner
Removal of LEECHES
One recommended method of removal is using a fingernail to break the seal of the oral sucker at the anterior end (the smaller, thinner end) of the leech, repeating with the posterior end, then flicking the leech away. As the fingernail is pushed along the person's skin against the leech, the suction of sucker's seal is broken, at which point the leech should detach its jaws.

A common but medically inadvisable technique to remove a leech is to apply a flame, lit cigarette, salt, or caustic chemical such as alcohol, vinegar, lemon juice, insect repellent, or certain carbonated drinks. These cause the leech to regurgitate its stomach contents into the wound and quickly detach. The vomit may carry disease and increases the risk of infection.

Simply pulling a leach off by grasping it can also cause regurgitation, and adds risks of further tearing the wound, and leaving parts of the leech's jaw in the wound, which can also increase the risk of infection.

An externally attached leech will detach and fall off on its own when it is satiated on blood, usually in about 20 minutes, while internal attachments, such as nasal passage or vaginal attachments, are likelier to require medical intervention.
 
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