My other concern after the bite
Another concern about leech bite is other bacterial pathogens like Burkholderia pseudomallei and Leptospira interrogans may take this opportunity to enter our body and cause melioidosis or leptospirosis. This is why I used lime juice (acid to lower the pH may kill some microorganisms) and/or drinking water (reduce the microorganism numbers) to wash the bited wound and then stop the bleeding after that, although there is no report about Burkholderia pseudomallei infection or leptospirosis after leech bite but preventive mearsure is very important in the field.
Teo T P
More information about leeches
The purpose of this write is to share with BC members the distribution, biology, behaviour and some preventive measures against leeches with special reference to the land leech, Haemadipsa zeylanica.
Blood sucking land leeches (Haemadipsidae) are distributed throughout much of the tropical Asia, Australasia and Oceania (Moore, 1938; Keegan et al, 1968). The best known species is Haemadipsa zeylanica which lives in mainland Asia from about 4,000 m in the Himalayas of India and Nepal to the Asian countries, southern China, as well as on offshore Asiatic Islands like Sri Lanka, Sundas, Taiwan, and Ryukyus to Japan where it confined to certain mountains (Sawyer, 1986).
The following blood sucking land leeches (Haemadipsidae) of South East Asia were documented by Professor Roy T. Sawyer:
Haemadipsa ornate (Moore, 1927): Known from the eastern Himalayas (Darjeeling, north-east Frontier, especially Assam; 500 - 1,000 m).
Haemadipsa picta (Moore, 1929): Known from the Malay Peninsula, (?) Celebes and Borneo, where it is characteristic between the range of 700 - 1,300 m.
Haemadipsa sylvestris sylvestris (Blanchard, 1894): Known from north-east India (especially abundant in Assam) throughout Myanmar to Thailand.
Haemadipsa sylvestris interrupta (Moore, 1935): Known fron Malay Peninsula, Thailand, and Indo-China and probably Java and Sumatra.
Haemadipsa cochiniana (Moore, 1927): Common in southern part of India, extending north on the western coast to Bombay from sea level to 1,100 m.
Haemadipsa montana (Moore, 1927): Known from Myanmar hills, southern India, Himalayas, usually 2,000 - 2,700 m.
Haemadipsa zeylanica subabilis (Moore, 1929): Known from Malay Peninsula and west Sarawak.
Haemadipsa zeylanica sumatrana (Horst, 1883): Known from Sumatra and Borneo, where it is the common ground leech in all parts of the island except west Sarawak.
Haemadipsa zeylanica zeylanica (Moquin-Tandou, 1826): Sri Lanka.
Haemadipsa zeylanica agilis (Moore, 1927): The common leech of western Himalayas, very abundant in region around Naini Tal, 1,700 - 2,000 m (1,000 - 3,700 m); also occurs in southern Indian hills (Palni Hill, Madras, Dhoai Forest, South Malabar); uncommon in Nepal.
Haemadipsa zeylanica montivindicis (Moore, 1927): Known from eastern Himalayas (common in Daarjeeling district, Sikkim and Assam, 1,500 - 2,200 m (600 0 3,800 m)) and Myanmar (Dawna Hills).
To determine the local and seasonal distribution of Haemadipsa zeylanica and other leeches is highly relied on the availability of moisture. In continually moist areas, such as the mountain areas of Malaysia and Borneo, land leeches are more or less active throughout the year. On the other hand in those parts of its range (e.g. northern India) subject to periodic dry and wet seasons, abundance of H. zeylanica is highly seasonal. Localities teeming with active leeches in the rainy season are virtually devoid of them in the dry season. During rainy period H. zeylanica migrate considerable distances (1 km or more) vertically up hills and horizontally into area normally too dry, such as unforested pastureland. As the rain cease the leeches retreat from drier, exposed locales and by the advent of the dry season, they by now of moderate to large size, are confined to damp areas such as near streambeds. Nevertheless they never voluntarily enter water. As the topsoil dries out the leech burrow into damp subsoil. On digging a foot or more, below the earth surface and on turning the underground buried stones, and pebbles in the vicinity of water channels, a large number of hibernating leeches were everytime found, attached to under surface of the stones. At this time the individuals are sluggish and unresponsive. With the advent of the rainy season the leeches quickly revive, couplate at the first opportunity and actively seek for a blood meal.
The normal host of H. zeylanica living deep in the undisturbed rainforest is unknown, but those living in distrubed areas feed voraciously on domestic animals, especially cattle, as well as humans. In laboratory, H. zeylanica reported to feed on frogs, snakes, mice, rabbits and even chickens. Occasionally land leeches have been found on wild birds, sometimes in their nasal passage. Undoubtedly birds represent one mechanism of dispersal which explain the widespread distribution of land leeches in Oceania (Sawyer, 1986)
Teo T P
(to be continued...)
