What is Pinworm? What are the Harms?

What is Pinworm? What are the Harms?

Pinworms are a common intestinal worm infection and a type of parasite. The infection, known in medicine as enterobiasis, is particularly common in children during schooling and school-age years. It can spread rapidly among children through microscopic eggs. There are drug treatments to eliminate parasites that develop in the body. All family members should undergo certain tests and examinations, and it is also important to wash the sheets, pajamas and underwear used.

It is an infectious disease caused by parasitic worms in the intestines. While they must remain in the body to survive and reproduce, they can only be transmitted from person to person. It usually causes itching and some discomfort in the individual. While there is no harmful situation, treatment is easy and fast.

What are the Harms of Pinworms?

It usually does not cause serious problems and problems. Rare cases include infection of the female reproductive organs. The parasite can reach the vagina from the anal area and progress to the uterus and around the pelvic organs. This can lead to problems such as inflammation of the lining and inflammation of the vagina.

In addition, rare pinworm infection damages are as follows:

Urinary Tract Infection
Infections of the urinary tract are more common in women with severe infestations. The worm can progress to the bladder and cause cystitis.

Weight loss
In cases where the infection is intense and severe, nutrients in the person's body can be absorbed by the parasite and this can lead to weight loss.

Abdominal and Reproductive Organs Infection
The worm can travel to the vagina and abdominal cavity of women, where it can cause infections and serious problems.

Skin Infections
The disease can cause very intense itching of the skin. It can also cause scratches and sores on the skin that increase the chance of infection.

What Causes Pinworms?

It is an infectious disease that can occur as a result of consuming foods and beverages containing microscopic eggs. The larvae produced by the eggs turn into worms in the small intestine and move to the large intestine and settle there.
They can be found in dirty and uncleaned hands, on any surface or object. They can be found on bed linen, towels, underwear and pajamas, toilets and bathrooms, food, glasses, kitchen and countertops, toys, school desks and eating utensils.
The female worms in the body move to the anal area to lay their eggs about 1 to 2 months after the eggs enter the body. Such situations cause the person to experience intense itching in the rectal area.
As a result of the individual scratching this area, the eggs that settle under the fingernails can be transferred to different areas, bedding or surfaces. They can also spread through food, drinks, clothes and other people. These eggs can remain on different surfaces and live for about 2-3 weeks.

Risk factors for pinworm infection can be listed as follows:

Children
This disease, which is usually seen in children between the ages of 5 and 10, can spread rapidly as a result of education in crowded environments. As a result, children can easily transmit these eggs to their homes, family members or other people. Under 2 years of age, it is not seen much in infants and children.

Crowded Environments
People living in crowded areas and environments such as nursing homes, child welfare institutions and dormitories are more at risk of this disease.

What are the Symptoms of Pinworms?

Among the symptoms of pinworms , itching may occur in the rectal or vaginal areas of people, while these itches can become intense and severe. People may experience sleep problems, restlessness and some discomfort.
In addition to occasional abdominal pain, stomach problems, nausea and vomiting are observed. Although these are rare, they are among the problems that can be encountered depending on the intensity.
Very common symptoms include itching around the anus and insomnia. Itching often increases in intensity in the evening. These worms, which are activated at night, move towards the anus to lay eggs. This disease can spread to the vagina and may cause some discharge from the vagina.
If open sores appear on the skin as a result of itching, a skin infection may develop. It can also be seen in some people without any symptoms or complaints.

How to Prevent Pinworms?

There are some precautions to be taken to prevent infection caused by parasites. Considering that these eggs can remain on surfaces and objects for long periods of time, there are some things that need to be done.
It is important for people to pay attention to hygiene, to keep hands clean at all times, to clean toilets and bathrooms frequently, and to wash bed linen. Regular surface cleaning can prevent transmission of the parasite.
In addition to these, the precautions and daily routines that can be taken to answer the questions "How to prevent pinworms and how to get rid of them?" or to prevent the infection from recurring are as follows:

  • Paying attention to cleaning the anal area in the morning
  • Cleaning and changing underwear and linen daily
  • Taking care not to scratch itchy areas, cleaning hands and nails thoroughly after scratching
  • Keeping hands clean and washing them frequently
  • Paying attention to children's cleanliness and daily showering
  • Paying attention to nail and hand care in children

Paying attention to the items given above and making them a routine by taking care of them will help you to protect yourself from the disease and also contribute to preventing the different problems that such situations may cause.

How to Treat Pinworms?

Pinworm treatment can be done in a simple way. A treatment plan is made to prevent the infection from recurring. In addition, some examinations should be performed on the family members of the people who carry the disease and everyone in the family should be treated.
Treatment can be done in two different ways. These are following a rigorous and regular hygiene regimen for 4 to 6 weeks and medication. If the doctor refers you to medication, it is important to use it as prescribed by the specialist. In addition, everyone in the family should benefit from this treatment.
While medication is not recommended during pregnancy or breastfeeding, another treatment method, hygiene cleaning, which lasts about 6 weeks, is recommended.

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CreatorNP Istanbul Hospital Editorial Board
Updated At05 March 2024
Created At14 December 2022
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