Although often asymptomatic, parasitic infections can lead to disruptions in mood, behavior and sleep – particularly in children with worms. The most common worm infection amongst Australian children is threadwork (pinworm, Enterobius vermicularis).
The most common symptoms of a threadworm can include: An itchy bottom. General irritability and behavioural changes.
The risk of psychiatric disorders in patients with pinworm infections. We have included anxiety disorder, depression, bipolar disorder, and sleep disorder in the analysis. Anxiety disorder, depression, and sleep disorder were higher in the pinworm infections group (p < .
Among people with parasitic infection, 58.2% had a mental illness compared to 41.8% of uninfected people with mental illnesses and the risk of an individual developing a mental illness was found to increase 4-fold when presenting with a parasitic infection.
Pinworm infection may cause: Itching around the anal area, difficulty sleeping and irritability. If it is a severe infection, symptoms may include: nervousness.
The most common symptoms of pinworms are extreme itching in the anal/vaginal area, difficulty sleeping, and irritability but other symptoms that are important to be aware of are nervousness, restlessness, loss of appetite, insomnia, poor concentration, weight loss, sweet cravings, teeth grinding, mood swings, bed ...
Low-grade, persistent symptoms are the ones most likely to be dismissed as insignificant. This is unfortunate, as long term symptoms like dairy sensitivity, anxiety, frequent headaches and overall tiredness are frequently the only symptoms of a parasitic infection.
Altered communication of the gut-brain axis has been linked to behavioral disorders, mood disturbances, depression and anxiety, as well as issues with learning and memory. As pinworms are nocturnal, their night time activity results in restlessness, itching, irritation and an overall poor sleep quality.
The best-known example of a parasite that affects emotional behavior and that is relevant to human health is Toxoplasma gondii. T. gondii lives in the feline intestinal tract, where it lays its eggs, which are dispersed into the environment upon excretion.
If left untreated, the intense itching and scratching associated with these infections will result in secondary bacterial infections. Some of these may be difficult to treat. Untreated people can continue to infect other people.
Symptoms of pinworm
Pinworm infections often produce no symptoms but, when they occur, symptoms can include: itchy bottom, especially at night. reduced appetite. feeling mildly unwell.
Symptoms and Causes
Sleeplessness: Because anal itching is worse at night, people suffering from a pinworm infection can have trouble sleeping, which can lead to decreased concentration, tiredness and weight loss.
Severe or persistent threadworm infections can cause: loss of appetite. weight loss. skin infection around the anus if bacteria enter any scratches caused by itching – wearing cotton gloves while sleeping may help prevent this.
Red flags to look out for:
Loss of appetite. Weight loss. Bedwetting (consider other diagnoses e.g. Type 1 diabetes) Skin infections around anus caused by scratching.
Are threadworms harmful? Not usually. The worst thing about them is the itch and discomfort around the anus. This sometimes wakes children from sleep.
How long does pinworms last? The life cycle of a pinworm is 4 to 6 weeks. Without treatment, infestation will continue as long as fresh eggs are being swallowed, unless a person develops immunity to pinworms, which is unusual before age 15.
The inflammation caused by parasite infections affects the brain and CNS via the blood brain barrier, activation of the vagus nerve and immune cells. An individual's genetics also play a key role in the susceptibility to parasite infections and the prediction of depression.
Pinworms can usually be treated completely with two doses of over-the-counter medicine called pyrantel pamoate, available in the United States under the brand names Pin-X and Reese's Pinworm Medicine. Take one dose immediately and another dose two weeks later.
Symptoms such as sleeping irregularities, skin irritation, mood changes, and muscle pain can all be caused by the toxins released by the parasites into your bloodstream. These toxins could even cause anxiety, which tends to manifest itself in irregular sleeping patterns or teeth grinding.
There are two kinds of common parasitic infections:
Pinworms, whipworms, and hookworms are all types of roundworms (1) that can cause digestive problems, mood swings, abdominal pain, brain fog, and weight loss.
Why? Most people do not know they are infected or at risk, or don't have access to appropriate care. And often, health care providers are unfamiliar with these parasitic infections, and may not diagnose or treat them appropriately.
You or your child can get threadworms by accidently swallowing worm eggs found on contaminated surfaces. This can happen by scratching the anal region and then touching your mouth or food.
Threadworms do not go away by themselves, and people do not build up immunity to them, so they must be treated in order to eradicate them totally from the body.
Often people call a threadworm infection 'worms'. There are different types of worms that can infect people. Threadworm is the most common. Threadworm is not usually harmful, but it can be very uncomfortable.