A young lad was rushed to hospital with breathing difficulties, only for doctors to discover a problem straight out of a horror film. The seven year old boy, known as Xiaoxiang, coughed up a squirming 12cm-long leech while being treated at Pu’er People’s Hospital in China’s Yunnan Province.
Initially presenting with symptoms of coughing up blood, the medical team in the paediatric department administered an atomisation inhalation treatment, which transforms liquid medications into a vapour for inhalation. After inhaling the medicated mist, Xiaoxiang shocked the medical staff by suddenly coughing up a live five-inch parasite.
Upon examination, the doctors confirmed that the gruesome object was indeed a live leech measuring about 12cm in length. An immediate electronic bronchoscopy was performed on the child to check for any other parasites in his body.
Thankfully, after a comprehensive examination of Xiaoxiang’s airways, no other parasites were discovered. Leeches are parasitic worms typically found in fresh water, and the most well-known species – Hirudo medicinalis – feeds on blood, secreting a chemical post-bite to prevent the wound from healing.
If found on the skin, they can be safely removed by hand as they do not burrow into the skin or leave their head in the wound, reports the Mirror.
In this peculiar case, the creature had somehow navigated its way deep into the young lad’s lung, resulting in a severe infection. It was quickly determined that the leech had been residing in Xiaoxiang’s lungs for a significant period of time.
His treatment involved a thorough cleaning of his lungs and the removal of blood clots in the area, as reported by NeedToKnow. This proved to be successful and Xiaoxiang’s lungs were restored so that he could recuperate.
If attempts to remove the leech had failed, the creature could have eventually grown large enough to obstruct the child’s airways, leading to suffocation. Xiaoxiang’s family reside in a rural part of China, and they frequently visit the village’s river during their leisure time.
It is believed that during one of these visits, the leech must have entered Xiaoxiang’s trachea after he inhaled eggs or larvae into his airways. The moist environment provided by the boy’s body, including oxygen and blood, offered an ideal space for the leech to grow.
Thanks to the efforts of the medical staff, Xiaoxiang was able to make a full recovery.