Pinworm - What Is It & How Does It Affect You?

The pinworm causes the most common worm infection in the United States. It is characterized as a thin, staple-sized, white roundworm that lives in the colon and rectum of its human host. Regardless of who you are or where you live, just about anybody is susceptible to a pinworm infection. However, these parasites commonly infect school-aged children, people in institutions, and caretakers of people with pinworms.

One of the most common symptoms of a pinworm infection includes itching around the anus. This is because the adult female pinworm will leave the intestine while you sleep to deposit her eggs on the surrounding skin of your anus. The infection is often spread from the anus to someone's mouth, frequently through contaminated clothing, food, bedding, or directly by hand. A pinworm can survive up to two to three weeks on any of these surfaces.

Pinworms can often be seen around the anus, on clothing, or on bedding two to three hours after you have fallen asleep. If you suspect you or your child has a pinworm infection, you can collect eggs for examination by using transparent cellophane tape and pressing it against the skin around your anus. The pinworm eggs will stick to the tape and then can be viewed under a microscope. It is best to conduct this test as soon as you or your child wakes up.

Your physician may prescribe you an over-the-counter medication or prescription to treat the pinworms. Household members should be treated at the same time to avoid re-infection. Clothing of any kind, as well as towels and other linens should be washed with hot water to kill any remaining parasites.