Bushwalk Australia

Hi everyone,

On Saturday we took a day trip to the Blue Mountains.

Between the wet weather and following the Grose River the leeches were out in force.

Despite gaiters I pulled about six of my lower legs.

Has anyone experienced infections from leech bite sites?

I have itchy lumps forming under the scabs where I removed the leech.

A cross between a pimple and a blister....

I have been bitten plenty of times in the past and never reacted this way.

Thanks

Grant

Only a secondary infection once. The leech bite created a perfect, circular entry wound which I did not bother about but some days later I went into the chook yard with just thongs on whilst the wound was still open and received an infection that way which was treated with antibiotics. Sounds like you are having and allergic reaction.

Some people experience a prolonged and intense inflammatory reaction around the wound. It can be hard to know whether it's infected or not and typically antibiotics are started as a precaution. Otherwise yes, they can certainly become infected.

Pika wrote:Hi everyone,

On Saturday we took a day trip to the Blue Mountains.

Between the wet weather and following the Grose River the leeches were out in force.

Despite gaiters I pulled about six of my lower legs.

Has anyone experienced infections from leech bite sites?

I have itchy lumps forming under the scabs where I removed the leech.

A cross between a pimple and a blister....

I have been bitten plenty of times in the past and never reacted this way.

Thanks

Grant

I'm only just getting over the same problem around both heels/ankles, basically as you and GPS describe. This generally happens to me with leech bites (oddly, sometimes not). I suspect it's a type of allergic reaction to the mildly toxic anti-coagulant that they inject, particularly more so if disturbed by pulling them off the skin. I try and flick them off quickly with a fingernail but aim is not always perfect . The scabs finally fell off last week after over a month, but you can still see plenty of evidence of the bites (7 of them ). They were really itchy and sore for the first week or more. I covered them with waterproof dressings to reduce the rubbing from shoes etc, which causes secondary irritation. No infection thankfully. I suggest to keep a close eye on any sign of that and refrain from scratching no matter how intense the itch. Tea tree oil I've found can provide some relief for me but the results are variable (YMMV). These bites are the worst I've had in a long time. The little blighters were literally chasing me. After a long dry spell I guess I was lulled into a false sense of security. After significant rain walked to a waterfall on a narrow track through wet foliage (forgot to apply DEET which usually stops them), and was fighting them off for the next two hours. I even found a hugely engorged one in my sock after I'd walked out then driven about 45 minutes, almost home, when I stopped to refuel.

Thanks John.

Sounds exactly the same as what I have.

I am failing miserably at not scratching them.

another possibility and one that gets mentioned around different walking clubs from time to time is some people can develop a nasty allergic reactions to leeches following numerous bites..........

After I got nailed that year the warragamba dam overflowed twice, I have become allergic to leeches. They never used to worry me but now I swell up massively. Very annoying!

I ended up scratching them into sores and they healed up.

Sounds disgusting haha.

jeremy089786 wrote:After I got nailed that year the warragamba dam overflowed twice, I have become allergic to leeches. They never used to worry me but now I swell up massively. Very annoying!

I now take an antihistamine (Telfast) before venturing into leech land. Seems to help. Also, I don't use the salt / burning removal method...I seem to recall they vomit into you....just give them a slow circular rub until they drop off. Then a boot slammed on them to finish them off (oops, is that ok in a national park?)

I have had an infection stemming from the site of a leech attachment. The little bloke had moved on long before I found the site under my sandal strap. I had walked some distance including through animal excrement before I washed the wound. It was a week later that I got all feverish on another walk and when I got home and had a shower I noticed a lump in my groin. On examination I found a reddened vein tracking down my leg to the site if the leech attachment between my toes. I had some Intravenous antibiotics and it cleared up rapidly.

I carry alcohol swabs to clean leech bites and apply tiger balm in the days afterward to stop the itching. Scratching them will slow healing and increases the chance of infection

My wife carries antihistamine tabs for allergic reactions, which could help. I haven't had leeches for years - mostly cos the weather has generally been dry when I've gone out recently. but I got plenty when I was younger in the otways and everywhere else.

From my understanding it would also help to get them off with heat (lighter) or salt, where they won't leave a part of them in your skin, which can happen if you just flick them off.