About pinworms

What is pinworms?

Pinworms facts

  • Pinworm infections are caused by worm-like parasites that infect humans' intestines and rectal/anal areas.
  • Young children and their household members are at risk for pinworm infections.
  • Pinworms are visible. They range in size from 2-13 mm, are white, and resemble a worm but the pinworm eggs are small, transparent and can be seen only with a microscope.
  • Pinworm infections are spread person-to-person by ingesting pinworm eggs that have contaminated fingers, bedding, clothing or other items.
  • The symptoms of pinworm infection are discomfort and itching in the anal/rectal area. Children especially will scratch the rectal/anal area, get eggs on their fingers or underneath their fingernails and transport the infective eggs to bedding, toys, other humans, or back to themselves. The eggs hatch into larval forms in the small intestines and then progress to the large intestine where they mature, mate, and progress to the rectal/anal area where females deposit about 10 to 15 thousand eggs.

What is pinworm infection in humans?

Pinworm infection is an infection of the large intestine and anal area by a small, white parasite that resembles a "worm." The medical name for the parasite is Enterobius vermicularis, but it is commonly termed a pinworm in both the lay and medical literature. These parasites are also termed seatworms or threadworms, and the infections is medically termed enterobiasis or helminthiasis. Pinworms and other parasitic worms (which, as a group, are termed helminths) feed off of the host animal by adsorbing nutrients from the host animal. Pinworm infections are the most common helminth infection that occurs in the US.

Pinworms in children

School-age children have the highest rates of pinworm infection. They are followed by preschoolers. Institutional settings including day care facilities often harbor cases of pinworm infection. Sometimes, nearly half of the children may be infected.

Pinworms in adults

Pinworm infection often occurs in more than one family member. Adults are less likely to have pinworm infection, except for mothers of infected children. However, adult sexual partners can transfer the eggs to each other.

The pinworms are white, can be seen with the naked eye (no magnification) and are about the length of a staple (about 8-13 mm for female and 2-5mm for male worms). The eggs that are laid by the female worms are not visible as they are about 55 micrometers in diameter and are translucent (see Figure 1).

The male and female worms live for the most part within the rectum of humans but have a life cycle in humans that involves rectal/oral transmission (see Figure 2).

While an infected person is asleep, female pinworms leave the intestines through the anus and deposit eggs on the skin around the anus. This causes itching and irritation of the surrounding area; children especially will scratch the rectal/anal area, get eggs on their fingers or underneath their fingernails and transport the infective eggs to bedding, toys, other humans, or back to themselves. The eggs hatch into larval forms in the small intestines and then progress to the large intestine where they mature, mate, and progress to the rectal/anal area where females deposit about 10 to 15 thousand eggs.

How is pinworm infection spread?

Pinworm infection is spread person-to-person. Within a few hours of being deposited on the skin around the anus, pinworm eggs become infective (capable of infecting another person). They can survive up to two weeks on clothing, bedding, or other objects. Infection is acquired when these eggs are accidentally swallowed, usually due to inadequate hand washing by the parents and children. However, eggs on bedding or other objects that are touched while the eggs are still viable can cause infection or reinfection of people.

What are the symptoms for pinworms?

Pinworms often cause no symptoms.

What are the causes for pinworms?

Accidentally swallowing or breathing in pinworm eggs causes a pinworm infection. The tiny (microscopic) eggs can be carried to your mouth by contaminated food, drink or your fingers. Once swallowed, the eggs hatch in the intestines and mature into adult worms within a few weeks.

Female pinworms move to the anal area to lay their eggs, which often results in anal itching. When you scratch the itchy area, the eggs cling to your fingers and get under your fingernails. The eggs then get transferred to other surfaces, such as toys, bedding or toilet seats. The eggs can also be transferred from contaminated fingers to food, liquids, clothes or other people.

Pinworm eggs can survive for two to three weeks on surfaces.

What are the treatments for pinworms?

Most pinworm infections are treated at home with the above medications. However, reinfection is fairly common. To both reduce the chances for reinfection and to help prevent others from getting pinworms, see the prevention section.

What are the risk factors for pinworms?

Being young. Pinworm infections are most likely to occur in children ages 5 to 10. The tiny (microscopic) eggs are easily spread to family members, caregivers, or other children at school or child care centers. Pinworm infections are uncommon in children younger than age 2.

  • Living in crowded spaces. People who live in institutions are at higher risk of developing pinworm infections.

Is there a cure/medications for pinworms?

Pinworms infection, also known as enterobiasis or oxyuriasis, is a highly contagious infection of the colon and rectum that causes itching in and around the anal region, causing restlessness and discomfort. It is typically caused by ingesting or inhaling pinworm eggs, which later hatch and mature in the intestine. It affects people of all ages and backgrounds.

The following are both home and professional remedies for preventing pinworm infection;
The doctors may prescribe oral medication. To treat pinworm infection, the most commonly used medications include mebendazole, albendazole, and pyrantel pamoate.
Maintaining good personal hygiene, particularly good hand hygiene, which includes hand washing, cleaning under the nails, avoiding nail-biting, and scratching the anal region.
After passing bowel movements, cleanse the area.
Showering every morning can help to eliminate the majority of pinworm eggs.
Undergarments should be changed regularly and washed in hot water because pinworm eggs can survive on clothing for up to 2-3 weeks (bed, towels, night wares, underclothing)


List of Conditions
Infection of the urinary tract, abdominal pain, weight loss, vaginitis, and endometritis (In the case of women)

List of Symptoms
Itching in the anal area, rash and skin irritation, discomfort, pinworms in the anal area, pinworms in the stool

List of Treatments
mebendazole, albendazole, pyrantel pamoate, ointment
Pinworms (Threadworms) infection, also known as enterobiasis or oxyuriasis, is a highly contagious infection of the colon and rectum that causes itching in and around the anal region, causing restlessness and discomfort. It is typically caused by ingesting or inhaling pinworm eggs, which later hatch and mature in the intestine. It affects people of all ages and backgrounds.

The following are both home and professional remedies for preventing pinworm infection;

  • The doctors may prescribe oral medication. To treat pinworm infection, the most commonly used medications include mebendazole, albendazole, and pyrantel pamoate.
  • The course of the medications repeats two weeks after the first dose. Pyrantel pamoate is available without a prescription.
  • The medication does not reliably kill pinworm eggs. Therefore, the second dose is to prevent re-infection by adult worms that hatch from any eggs not killed by the first treatment. Health practitioners and parents should weigh the health risks and benefits of these drugs for patients under 2 years of age.
  • Repeated infections should be treated by the same method as the first infection. In households where more than one member is infected or where repeated, symptomatic infections occur, it is recommended that all household members be treated at the same time.
  • Maintaining good personal hygiene, particularly good hand hygiene, which includes hand washing, cleaning under the nails, avoiding nail-biting, and scratching the anal region.


Conditions
Infection of the urinary tract,Abdominal pain,Weight loss,Vaginitis, and endometritis (In the case of women)
Drugs
Mebendazole,Albendazole,Pyrantel pamoate
Symptoms
Itching in the anal area,Rashes and skin irritation, Discomfort,Pinworms in the anal area,Pinworms in the stool

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