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Pinworm
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?Pinworm

Two pinworms, captured on emergence from the

anus. Markings are 1 mm apart

Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Phylum:
Class:
Order:
Family:
Genus:

Animalia
Nematoda
Secernentea
Rhabditida
Oxyuridae
Enterobius

The pinworm (Genus Enterobius) is a parasitic roundworm of the phylum Nematoda.

Contents
[hide]

1 Forms of worm
2 Habitat
3 Reproduction
4 Effects
5 Diagnosis
6 Treatment
7 References

8 External links

[edit]

Forms of worm
The best known is the human pinworm, also known as the threadworms Enterobius
vermicularis and the more recently discovered Enterobius gregorii. The adult pinworm
male is 14 mm in length, while the adult female is 813 mm and possess the long, pinshaped posterior end for which the worm is named. The human pinworm is commonly
found in children.
[edit]

Habitat
The pinworm lives in the lower part of the small intestine, and the upper part of the
colon. It is found worldwide and causes the common infection enterobiasis in humans.
Unlike many other intestinal parasites, the pinworm does not usually enter the
bloodstream or any other organs besides the intestines. Only in rare cases disoriented
pinworms can be found in the vagina, and even more rarely in the uterus, fallopian tubes,
liver and peritoneum; but the worms cannot survive long in these places.
[edit]

Reproduction

Pinworm eggs are easily seen under the microscope.

After mating, the male dies. The female migrates to the anus and emerges, usually during
the night, to deposit about 10,000 to 20,000 eggs in the perianal area (around the anus). It
then secretes a substance that causes a very strong itching sensation, inciting the host to
scratch the area and thus transfer some of the eggs to the fingers. Eggs can also be
transferred to cloth, toys and the bathtub. Once ingested orally, the larvae hatch and
migrate back to the intestine, growing to maturity in 30-45 days. The eggs can survive
from 2 to 3 weeks on their own outside of the human body. (SOURCES: Rudolph's
Pediatrics - 21st Ed. 2003; Current Medical Diagnosis & Treatment - 45th Ed. 2006)
[edit]

Effects
Except for itching, pinworm infestation does not usually cause any damage to the body.
Sleep disturbance may arise from the itching or crawling sensations. Some case reports
suggest that severe infestation may be associated with an increased risk for appendicitis.
There is also some evidence of an association between enterobiasis and diminished zinc
levels.
[edit]

Diagnosis
Diagnosis is often made clinically by observing the female worm (or many worms) in the
peri-anal region, but can also be made using the "scotch-tape" test, in the course of which
the sticky side of a strip of cellophane tape is pressed against the peri-anal skin, then
examined under a microscope for pinworm eggs.
[edit]

Treatment
Anti-pinworm drugs such as Albenza (albendazole) or Vermox (mebendazole) are
commonly used to treat pinworms. It is not a necessity to visit a doctor to get these drugs,
as they are commonly available as over the counter medications; ask a pharmacist for
medicines to treat pinworms (or threadworms as they are known in the UK). These
medicines kill the pinworms 95% of the time, but do not kill the eggs. The person being
treated may have to return after a time of two weeks to be retreated. Another precaution
towards treating the eradication of pinworms is to wash hands before eating (to prevent
any pinworm eggs under fingernails from being ingested) and to wash any area or clothes
that have touched or been in the vicinity of the infected areas. Treating the entire family
is often necessary for cure.
[edit]

References
New England Journal of Medicine Video. A 55-year-old man presented with intermittent,
crampy pain in the right lower quadrant of the abdomen. A colonoscopy was ordered and
revealed multiple mobile 1-cm worms, Enterobius vermicularis, in the cecum.
Images of Parasites: Interobius Vermicularis. Includes pinworm life cycle, signs and
symptoms, photographs and drawings of the parasite, and detection procedures.

The Human Pinworm: The human pinworm Enterobius vermicularis is a ubiquitous

parasite of man, it being estimated that over 200 million people are infected annually. It is
more common in the temperate regions of Western Europe and North America, (it being
relatively rare in the tropics) and is found particularly in children. Samples of Caucasian
children in the U.S.A. and Canada have shown incidences of infection of between 30% to
80%, with similar levels in Europe.
[edit]

External links

Video of infected colon

Fredworm site

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinworm"

Categories: Parasites | Roundworms | Proctology
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This page was last

modified 06:32, 22
September 2006.
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