Pinworms are parasitic worms that live in the human intestines. Inside the body, they attach to the wall of the large intestine and ingest its contents. The primary effect of pinworms is the intense itching and irritation caused when the female worms exit the anus at night to lay their eggs on the surrounding skin.
Symptoms of pinworm infection are usually mild, and some people have no symptoms. If you do have symptoms, it is typically itching around the anus. Female pinworms lay their eggs at night on the skin around the anus, which can cause the skin to itch. Some infected people have difficulty sleeping or restlessness.
While serious complications are rare, pinworms can lead to: Bacterial infections: Scratching too much can break your skin, causing it to bleed and become infected. Urinary tract infections (UTIs): The worms can travel to your vagina, enter your urinary tract and cause infections.
One type of medicine called pyrantel pamoate is sold without a prescription. It's the preferred treatment for pregnant people and children under 2 years old. The most common prescription anti-parasite medicines for pinworms are: Mebendazole (Emverm).
Ascariasis can cause symptoms such as stomach pain, vomiting, fever and cough. Serious health issues called complications can happen if many worms grow inside the body. But most people with ascariasis have no symptoms. Ascariasis treatment includes medicines that help get rid of the worms.
Pinworm infections often produce no symptoms but, when they occur, symptoms can include:
Other types of worms, such as dog tapeworm, may only cause symptoms after a long time, or if there is a severe infection. Symptoms may include: diarrhoea. tiredness and weakness.
Pinworm eggs can cling to surfaces indoors for up to 3 weeks. This includes the surfaces of toys, faucets, bedding and toilet seats. Clean these items often.
Pinworms thrive on sugar and refined carbohydrates. Starve them of their favorite food by limiting or totally avoiding your intake of those items. Eat lots of foods that are high in fiber, such as raw vegetables and whole grains.
Contagious period and spread
A person is infectious as long as eggs are present on the perianal skin. Eggs remain infective in an indoor environment for about two to three weeks.
Infected kids take one tablet to kill the worms and another in two weeks to kill the eggs. The treatment is almost 100 percent effective. I recommend the whole household gets treated to prevent kids and adults from being re-infected with pinworms.
Occasionally, invasion of the female genital tract can occur causing inflammation of the vulva and vagina with rare inflammatory reactions occurring in the pelvis or peritoneum. Appendicitis has been associated with pinworm infection in rare cases.
Call Your Doctor If:
Pinworm is seen. Skin around the anus gets red or tender. Anal itching lasts more than 1 week. You think your child needs to be seen.
Pinworms don't cause any harm (just itching and restless sleep), and it won't take long to get rid of them.
❖ Every morning have a bath, or wash around the anus, to get rid of any eggs laid overnight. You must do this straight away after getting up from bed. ❖ Change and wash underwear, nightwear (and bed linen if possible) each day.
Usually children with pinworms have no symptoms. Some children get very itchy around the anus and vagina, especially at night. If the infection is bad, your child can lose sleep and become cranky.
Do not scratch. Itching around the anus caused by a pinworm infection usually happens at night. Try wearing gloves, pyjamas, and close-fitting clothing to help prevent scratching. Bathe carefully every day.
1. What do worms hate the most? Compost worms, such as tiger and red worms, are sensitive creatures that thrive in reasonably specific conditions. Dry conditions are one of the worst things as worms have very little capacity to withstand dehydration.
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 ...
To help prevent spread within the home, when pinworms are identified in one family member, use these precautions: Treat any person who sleeps in the same bed as the infected child. Treat non-bed sharing family members only if they have symptoms. Treat all family members who develop symptoms.
How do you get pinworms? Pinworm eggs are spread from direct transfer between hands and anus to the same person or others. Indirectly they can spread through clothing, bedding, food and other articles in the living environment. Dust may spread the eggs in heavily contaminated households and indoor environments.
Bathe carefully every day. Be sure to clean the skin around the anus. This will remove pinworm eggs. Showers may be better than baths because you have less chance of getting water that has pinworm eggs into your mouth.
Knowing if you have parasites involves recognizing symptoms like digestive issues (diarrhea, bloating, pain), unexplained weight loss, fatigue, skin rashes, or muscle aches, but often infections are subtle or asymptomatic, so a doctor's diagnosis through stool samples or blood tests is crucial for confirmation, especially if you have persistent symptoms like fever, extreme fatigue, or blood in your stool.
Any worms in your gut will eventually pass out in your poo. You may not notice this. To avoid becoming infected again or infecting others, it's very important during the weeks after starting treatment to wash your hands: after going to the toilet.
What is it? Contec ProChlor V is a powerful ready-to-use biocide with efficacy against both a wide range of micro-organisms including spores and pin-worm eggs. Using a patented process Contec ProChlor V provides a 95% reduction in pinworm eggs in 10 minutes.