After two months living inside a young girl’s lungs, a fifteen-centimetre long leech was surgically removed by doctors in Thai An hospital, Vinh city, Nghe An.
Ms. D is still hospitalised in Thai An hospital after the surgery (photo)
According to the doctors in Thai An hospital, their patient was a young woman named Va Ca D (not her full name), 19 years old, from the H'Mong ethnic minority group in Nhon Mai commune, Tuong Duong district, Nghe An. About two months ago, during one of her trips to work in the rice fields, Ms. D stopped at a small stream to drink some water and a leech managed to get inside her throat. Soon after, Ms. D became ill and started coughing continuously. Her throat became itchy and she was having trouble breathing. The leech was fast developing inside Ms. D’s body.
Ms. D’s parents were extremely concerned about their daughter’s health and decided to take her to Nhon Mai medical centre for diagnosis. Upon examination, it was determined that there was a leech growing inside Ms. D’s lungs.
Picture of the fifteen-centimetre leech that was taken out of Ms. D’s lungs.
Ms. D was then taken to Thai An hospital to be monitored before having the leech surgically removed successfully by the doctors on February 23. The leech was 15 cm in length and as big as a middle finger.
The doctors informed us that this problem often occurs with people of ethnic minority groups when they drink water out of streams and rivers. Leeches that can get inside a human’s body are usually tiny, but when the environment is favourable, they grow very fast.
Ms. D is recovering well after the operation.
