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Old 18-06-2004, 05:21 AM
GrannyGrump
 
Posts: n/a
Default What was this that bit me??????


Was it a leech? If not any suggestions, and do I need medical attention. Are
they poisonous, whatever they are??


A leech bite will ooze liquid for 10-25 hours or so after the leech
has been removed.

http://www.marylanddoctors.org/outdoor/leeches.htm
says:
Leeches are parasitic annelid worms that live on land or in water.
They attach to human skin with a painless bite in order to extract
blood through the skin. Some of them release a substance called
hirudin, which is an anticoagulant (causes increased tendency to
bleed). Aquatic leeches are found in fresh water, and are considered
more dangerous than those on land, because they can attach inside the
mouth, throat, lungs, vagina, urethra, and other internal sites.

To remove a leech, don't pull it off — the residual sore may be
larger. Instead, apply lemon juice, salt, vinegar, tobacco juice, or
insect repellent. Using a lighted or recently extinguished match or
glowing ember may cause a skin burn. If the detached leech sticks to
your fingers, roll it between them. If a leech is attached to
someone's eye, shine a flashlight close to it; it may move toward the
light and away from the eye. The medical considerations for a leech
bite are itching and secondary infection. Insect repellents
particularly DEET applied to clothing and skin, will discourage leech
attachment. Slippery grease (such as petroleum jelly) applied to
exposed skin may also help. Wear waterproof boots when wading in
leech-infested water, and tuck in pant legs.

Infection:
http://www.marylanddoctors.org/outdo..._infection.htm
Despite your best efforts, a wound may become infected. The most
common bacteria that cause wound infection are Staphylococcus aureus
and Streptococcus pyogenes. The common signs of an infection include
redness and swelling surrounding the wound, pus or cloudy discharge
(pink, green, or cream colored), a foul odor (this is variable),
fever, increased wound tenderness, red streaking that travels to the
trunk from the wound, fever, and swollen regional lymph nodes.

If a wound is infected, its edges should be spread apart to allow the
drainage of any pus.