What Is Pinworm Infection?
There are many different types of parasites in the world. We tend to associate them with other animals but there are parasites that can infect humans as well. Thankfully for us, however, they are often quite harmless and also fairly easy to treat.
One such example of a parasite is pinworm. These are small parasites that live in our colon or rectum and they will not usually do us much harm. They are quite infectious, however, and they can cause some unwelcome symptoms for some people. They are easy to treat, however, and they will usually pass having done no permanent damage.
1. Pinworm
Pinworms are one of the most common parasites to infect humans. The measure from ¼ to ½ inches in length and are thin, white creatures. They are relatively harmless but they can cause some unwelcome symptoms in some cases. The worms will tend to infest the intestines, although the female worms will sometimes move down toward the anus.
Treating the infestation is also a relatively easy procedure. Pinworms can infect people of all ages, but they tend to infect children more than they infect adults. This is mainly because children are more likely to be in physical contact with each other, and more likely to put their hands in their mouths.
2. Transmission
As mentioned, the females will sometimes move along the digestive system towards the anus, where they will then lay their eggs. This can be very itchy, causing the patient to scratch at their anus, and this can cause their fingers to pick up the eggs. The eggs can then be transferred onto clothing, food, and surfaces where they may then be accidentally picked up by another person.
In one way or another, the eggs are sometimes swallowed. Here, they will make their way down to the intestines and hatch, where they can then begin to grow and multiply. Once mature, the females will begin to lay eggs, starting the cycle again.
3. No Symptoms
Many patients with pinworms will experience no symptoms whatsoever. Some will be infested for months or even years before finding out they are infested. Many will never find out at all. Discovering an infection will sometimes happen by chance as the patient is being tested for something else.
This does not mean to say the patient cannot spread the parasite, however. The female pinworm can still be laying their eggs at the anus, and these can fall off and infect linen etc. without anybody knowing. Even though one person may not experience symptoms, other people they pass it on to can.
4. Itching
Among the most common symptoms of pinworms is itching, particularly in the anus area. As mentioned, scratching here can cause the patient’s fingers to pick up eggs, and this can hasten the spread of the parasite. It can be particularly difficult for young children to avoid scratching the area.
As well as itchiness in the anus area, some women will experience it in the vaginal area. Again, scratching here can help the parasite to spread to other people more quickly than otherwise. Persistent itchiness in these areas should be checked out by a professional as soon as you get the chance.
5. Insomnia
If the itchiness is severe enough and persistent enough then the patient can have a great deal of difficulty sleeping at night. This can also make the patient feel restless and irritable the following day, and their school, work, or personal lives can suffer as a result.
Some people with pinworms will also feel nauseas, and they might also vomit on occasion. Some patients will also find that they occasionally suffer from pain in the abdomen area. If these symptoms do persist then you should arrange to speak with your doctor to try and find out what is causing them.
6. Risk Factors
As mentioned, children are more likely to get pinworm than adults are. This is partly because children tend to stay closer together then adults do. What’s more is that children are more likely to put their hands in their mouths, thus increasing the likeliness that they will swallow pinworm eggs. However, infections are not common in children that are below 2 years of age.
Pinworm is also more prevalent in some impoverished areas where people, including adults, are living closely together. Living in areas where hygiene standards are low is also likely to increase the chances of a pinworm infection.
7. Complications
In the majority of cases, pinworm infestations cause few, if any problems. That is not to say that they can’t cause serious problems in some cases, however. For example, there is a small chance of the pinworms causing a urinary tract infection, while some patients will also experience a loss of weight.
Some women can develop another complication in the more extreme cases. The worms can sometimes make their way to the vagina from the anus, resulting in an infestation of their genitals. This, in turn, can lead to other problems like inflammation of the uterus and/or inflammation of the vagina.
8. Prevention
It is all but impossible to be completely safe from pinworm infections. We can still reduce our chances of getting it, however. This largely means regularly cleaning surfaces that pinworm eggs might be attached to. Personal hygiene is also very important.
It is especially important to wash in the mornings, and showers are preferable to bathing where prevention of pinworm infestations is concerned. You should also be sure to change bed linen regularly as well as wearing clean underwear every day. Hot water should be used for washing clothing and linen, and it should also be dried on a high heat.
9. Don’t Scratch
As mentioned, it is very important to try and prevent scratching the anus, no matter how itchy it might be. This is largely to help prevent further spread of the worms. You should also try to prevent nail biting, and keeping nails well-trimmed will means fewer eggs can collect under the nails.
It is also important to try and wash your hands regularly. This can help to prevent the spread of other diseases as well as pinworm infections. It is also important to prevent scratching to help avoid the skin around the anus being broken. Broken skin will make it more likely that an infection will develop.
10. Treatment
Treating pinworm is usually achieved with orally taken medication that kills the parasites outright. Two doses are often necessary to ensure the pinworm are all dead, and the medication can cause some unwelcome side effects in some cases. Once killed, the dead worms will be passed out of the body with feces.
It is also important to thoroughly wash all bed linen, underwear, and any clothes you wear to bed. This is to help prevent an infestation taking place from the eggs. It is also important to ensure that all family members are treated to help prevent a reinfection from occurring
