Which annelids are of medical importance?

Medically Important Annelids

* Leeches (Hirudinea)

* Leeches are blood-sucking worms that can transmit diseases such as hirudiniasis, a skin infection caused by the bites of leeches.

* Leeches are also used in medicine to remove blood from patients who have been injured or have undergone surgery.

* Earthworms (Oligochaeta)

* Earthworms can transmit diseases such as acanthocephaliasis, a parasitic infection caused by the larvae of acanthocephalans, a type of roundworm.

* Earthworms are also used in medicine to produce castings, which are used to treat skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis.

* Polychaetes (Polychaeta)

* Polychaetes are a class of marine worms that can transmit diseases such as polychaetosis, a skin infection caused by the bites of polychaetes.

* Polychaetes are also used in medicine to produce extracts that are used to treat conditions such as arthritis and cancer.