A case series of bleeding due to Leech infestation from the Gimbie region,Ethiopia

Abstract

We present a case series of patients who presented to Gimbie Adventist Hospital (GAH), Western Wollege, Ethiopia. GAH is located in the town of Gimbie in the Western Wollega province of Ethiopia, about 450 km west of Addis Ababa. Gimbie zone is 9° north of the equator at 2000 m. There are ‘area’ wells, which supply only a minority of the population. The patients presented with bleeding of unknown aetiology and supportive care was the initial management. Leech infestation was found to be the cause of the bleeding. In Western Ethiopia in a patient presenting with bleeding of unknown aetiology, leech infestation is an important differential diagnosis.