New Dermoscopic Sign in Leech Therapy

Abstract

Leeches are hermaphroditic parasites of phylum Annelida and class Hirudinea. A minority of these are sanguinivorous and the cause of human morbidity. Historically, leeches have been used for medicinal purposes with the earliest recorded being 1500 BC. Medicinal leeches use their suction discs for locomotion, adhesion to the host, and, in the case of the anterior disc, also for blood ingestion. Dermoscopy is a new non-invasive tool that can help in the diagnosis of miscellaneous skin conditions. The new dermoscopic sign of leech bite i.e., the Mercedes Benz Logo sign which corresponds to the retractable tripartite jaw apparatus of the leech, can easily help in the quick diagnosis of the condition and referral of the patient for proper management without any delay.

Keywords: Dermoscopy; Mercedes Benz Logo sign; leech therapy.