After a simple splash of water on his face, Mr. Chen from Guangdong found a surprise lurking in his nose—a leech measuring at least 5cm in length.
Mr. Chen, feeling unwell a few days ago with frequent nosebleeds and a sensation of something foreign in his nasal passages, initially dismissed it as a mere cold.
However, as his symptoms persisted and the sensation of something inside his nose became more pronounced, he decided to investigate with a flashlight, only to discover a small black worm wriggling within.
Rushing to the hospital, a nasal endoscopy revealed a plump leech engorged with blood nestled inside his nostril.
Recalling a recent mountain hike where he had washed his face in a stream due to the scorching heat and concerns about water cleanliness, Mr. Chen realized how the leech had found its way into his nasal cavity.
Leeches, Childhood Nightmares
Leeches, also known as bloodsuckers (some live in the sea), are familiar yet terrifying creatures to me, haunting my childhood memories.
I often saw them in the fields when I was young—soft, black, slimy creatures wriggling about. What's most unsettling is their blood-sucking habit, enough to send shivers down my spine at the mere mention of them.
I would often see leeches hanging on my grandfather's legs. If he was busy, he wouldn't immediately remove them; instead, after about half an hour, they would detach themselves once they had their fill of blood.
When time allowed, my grandfather would sit at the doorstep, pouring saltwater over them or roasting them with fire, causing the leeches to drop off on their own.
Leeches have hearty appetites, expanding their bodies up to ten times their original size after feeding.
Upon closer inspection of the wound, one might notice a "Y" shaped incision left by the leech. This is because their oral suckers contain three semicircular jaws arranged in a Y-shaped formation.
Once it finds a suitable host, the leech will use its posterior sucker to attach itself to the host's body, and then it will feed using its anterior sucker. After its jaws cut through the skin, the leech secretes a unique substance to prevent blood clotting.
Generally, leeches do not cause much harm to their hosts. When attached to the human body, they are barely noticeable. Once they are full, they simply detach and leave.
Only a very small number of individuals may exhibit allergic-like symptoms to the saliva secretions of leeches.
Movement of Leeches
If they enter the body, do leeches parasitize and reproduce inside?
After reading Mr. Chen's case, many people gasped in horror: "It's lucky it was removed in time. If a leech enters the body, the consequences would be unimaginable!"
Indeed, many people have such fears. What happens if a leech enters the human body? Will it die? Or will the leech multiply massively, leading to malnutrition and death?
In fact, if a leech really gets swallowed, it cannot survive.
Because leeches are ectoparasites, they need oxygen.
Once inside the body, they cannot access air, and human stomach acid is strong enough to digest them.
But if a leech stays near the surface and has strong vitality, it can still survive.
Mr. Chen's case is the best proof. In areas near the surface such as the nose, upper palate, throat, rectum, where air can be accessed, leeches can survive.
In Hanoi, Vietnam, a man was injured by a mousetrap on his foot. While making herbal medicine, he grabbed a handful of grass, chewed it, and applied it to the wound. Consequently, a leech remained alive in his upper jaw, eventually being surgically removed.
The leech blends seamlessly with the hippo's coloration.
There's a type of leech that particularly enjoys parasitizing the rectum of hippos.
This leech, scientifically known as Placobdelloides jaegerskioeldi or the hippo leech, faces a challenge with the thick skin of hippos. To feed, it has to find alternative routes, often navigating through the hippo's legs and into the anal opening.
This location might seem repulsive and unsanitary to most creatures, teeming with bacteria and odors.
However, for the leech, it's a prime spot. Regardless of any scuffles between the hippo and others, it can feast undisturbed. Once satiated, it exits along with the hippo's feces and seeks a secluded spot to digest its blood meal.
It's worth noting that while leeches can parasitize humans in specific cases, they might not necessarily reproduce.
Leeches are hermaphroditic but incapable of self-fertilization, meaning a single leech cannot reproduce.
However, with two leeches, whether male-female, male-male, or female-female, reproduction is possible as long as there are two individuals. Leeches can switch genders as needed, facilitating the creation of offspring when in pairs.
The Leech Catcher
In the end,
Leeches may look terrifying, but in reality, they're hardly something to fear. If anything, it's humans who are more "terrifying."
An article in National Geographic revealed that in the 19th century, Western countries were obsessed with using leeches (European medicinal leeches) to treat diseases. This craze nearly drove these creatures to extinction.
In the past, when science wasn't as advanced as it is today, there were many unscientific remedies in medicine, with leech bloodletting being one of them.
Although the use of leeches in medical treatment has a long history and has been very effective, in the 19th century, leech therapy was mythologized.
People at the time believed that leeches from Europe could treat any ailment, from minor headaches to major illnesses like cancer. This phenomenon brings to mind the example of Europeans consuming mummies from Egypt.
It was France that popularized this therapy, with records showing that from 1830 to 1836 alone, just one hospital used over 2 million leeches.
The overuse of leeches led to a continuous increase in demand. But where did these leeches come from?
They could only be obtained from the wild. In 1835, the United States offered a huge reward of $500 to anyone who could cultivate European medical leeches, but no one succeeded.
In Britain, capturing leeches was a profession. Women used their bodies as bait, wading into muddy ditches and waiting for the leeches to take the bait.
Such insane demand, coupled with people's lack of knowledge on how to rear leeches and worsening environmental conditions, led to a drastic decline in the European medical leech population, nearly driving them to extinction. Today, European medical leeches remain critically endangered.
