Bacterial flora of Hirudo medicinalis and their antibiotic sensitivities in the middle Black Sea region, Turkey

The rate of infectious complications of leech therapy is almost 20% because Hirudo medicinalis has endosymbiotic bacteria. The aim of this study was t o determine the bacterial flora of H. medicinalis and their antibiotic sens itivities in a region in Turkey. Sixteen adult leeches were collected in Mi ddle Black Sea region, Turkey. They were rubbed onto blood agar plates dire ctly under ether anesthesia to obtain surface cultures. They were then kill ed to obtain mouth and gut cultures. Culture swabs were applied to blood ag ar, eosin methylene blue agar, and ampicillin blood agar plates. Gut conten ts were applied to blood culture medium as well. Bacteria were isolated in 15 of 16 leech surfaces, in 7 of 16 mouths, and in 15 of 16 guts. Isolated bacteria were identified with Analytical Profile Index 32 E and Analytical Profile Index 20 NE (fermentative and nonfermentative respectively). Most c ommon types of cultured bacteria were Aeromonas hydrophila (N = 25), Ochrob acter anthropi (N = 23), nonfermenting Gram-negative rods (N = 12), Acineto bacter Iwoffi (N = 3), and A. sobria (N = 2) in 73 isolates. A standard dis k diffusion test was performed on isolated bacteria. All isolates were 100% susceptible to ciprofloxacin, cefotaxime, ceftazidime, gentamicin, and tri -methoprim/sulfamethoxazole. Because leeches are carriers of Aeromonas and other bacteria, appropriate antibiotic prophylaxis should be administrated to the patient who needs leech therapy. Antibacterial agents can be determi ned by the resistance pattern of the bacterial flora of regional H. medicin alis.