Pinworms

Pinworms are parasitic roundworms. The human pinworm (Enterobius vermicularis) is the most common type of pinworms. It occurs most frequently in children; especially school going children, aged between 5-10 years. But it can affect adults as well. They have a pin-shaped posterior, hence the name, pinworm.

Habitat:

Humans are the only natural host for this parasite. They are found worldwide and can affect any socioeconomic group. It is spread by close human contact due to crowded living conditions. They are not found in animals.

The pinworms live in the large intestine and cecum, but unlike other human parasites, these do not enter the bloodstreams or any other organ besides the intestines. It is an ever-present human parasite, most commonly affecting people in the temperate regions like Europe and North America. It is estimated that around 40 million people in America are affected annually.

Reproduction:

A male pinworm dies after mating. The female pinworm, which is much longer than a male pinworm, crawl out to the anus to deposit about 10,000 eggs. They are more active during nights. The substance secreted by the female pinworm causes a very strong itching sensation. When the host scratches the area, some of the eggs are transferred to the fingers. Pinworms can also be transferred by infested clothes, bedding, dust or toys.

In such a situation, it is obvious for the eggs to be orally ingested. Once they are taken in orally, the eggs hatch in the small intestine and migrate back to the large intestine where the mature. It takes them around 30-45 days to mature. The eggs can survive on their own for 2 to 3 weeks outside the human body in a cool and humid condition.

Symptoms:

Itching is the only symptom found in individuals affected by pinworms. As mentioned earlier, the itching is severe during the nights when the female pinworms are more active and crawl to the anus to deposit eggs. Due to which, sleep may be disturbed. Apart from this, they do not have any effects on the human body. Pinworms can be bothersome but they seldom cause serious health problems.

Treatment:

Anti-pinworm drug albendazole (Albenza) and mebendazole (Vermox) are the most common treatments for pinworms. These are prescription drugs in the USA.

Precautionary measures:

It is important to wash your hands before eating and after using the toilet to prevent eggs under the finger nails from being ingested. It is also necessary to thoroughly launder clothes (especially underwear and pajamas), beddings and toys to destroy lingering eggs.

Summary:

Pinworms are usually not dangerous and they are easy to treat. However, pinworm infections are highly contagious so it is very likely for the infection to reoccur. Timely medication and precautionary measures can prevent the infection from reoccurring.