If possible, have your child take a shower instead of a bath. Pinworm infection treatment Most pinworm infections are mild and easily treated. Living with pinworm infection Pinworm infection is very contagious.
Wash all the sheets, blankets, towels, and clothing in the house in hot water. Scrub toys, countertops, floors, and other surfaces the infected child has touched. Vacuum carpets. Questions to ask your doctor How long will the treatment take? When should I call my doctor? Will hand sanitizers work against pinworms? What steps can I take to make sure no one else in my house gets pinworms? Last Updated: December 11, This article was contributed by: familydoctor.
Tags: intestinal infestation , oxyuriasis , parasitic infestation , perianal pruritus , pinworm infection , pinworms , worms. Related Articles. An anal fissure is a small crack or tear in the thin, moist lining of the lower rectum. Visit our interactive symptom checker Visit our interactive symptom checker Get Started. Close Modal Close Modal. The eggs hatch in the small intestine, and the baby worms grow and move on to the large intestine.
There, the pinworms grab onto the wall of the intestine. After a few weeks, the female pinworms move to the end of the large intestine, and they come out of the body at night to lay their eggs around the anus where poop comes out. The amount of time that passes from when someone swallows the eggs until the worms lay new eggs is about 1 to 2 months. Pinworm eggs can end up on anything touched by someone who has pinworms: on a counter in the kitchen, in a bed, or on a desk at school.
The eggs also can be on clothes, towels, or eating utensils. The eggs can live for about 2 weeks, and when you accidentally touch them and then put your fingers in your mouth, you can swallow the eggs without even knowing it. Kids in school get pinworms easily because they spend a lot of time with other kids, who may have pinworms. They might touch something with pinworm eggs on it when they're playing with other kids and eat the eggs without even knowing it.
The eggs are so light that a few may even end up in the air, where they could be swallowed when you breathe in. This is not a common way of getting pinworms, though. Pinworms can survive up to two weeks on clothing, bedding or other objects, if kept at room temperature. How is a diagnosis of pinworm infection made? Finding the female worm or the eggs confirms the diagnosis of pinworms.
To find a female worm: At night, the adult worms can sometimes be seen directly around the anal area or in pajamas. The worm one-quarter to one-half inch long is clearly visible to the naked eye. Finding a worm confirms the diagnosis. If adult worms are not visible, conduct a tape test in the morning. Apply a piece of transparent tape against the folds of skin around the anus to pick up any eggs or worms. Seal in a plastic bag. Take the tape to a health care provider. The eggs and worms caught on the tape can be identified under a microscope.
How is a pinworm infection treated? It is given in two doses. The second dose should be given two weeks after the first. Bathe first thing in the morning to reduce egg contamination. Pinworm infections are rarely spread through the use of swimming pools. Pinworm infections occur when a person swallows pinworm eggs picked up from contaminated surfaces or fingers. Although chlorine levels found in pools are not high enough to kill pinworm eggs, the presence of a small number of pinworm eggs in thousands of gallons of water the amount typically found in pools makes the chance of infection unlikely.
During this treatment time and two weeks after final treatment, it is a good idea to avoid co-bathing and the reuse or sharing of washcloths. Showering may be preferred to avoid possible contamination of bath water.
Careful handling and frequent changing of underclothing, night clothes, towels, and bedding can help reduce infection, reinfection, and environmental contamination with pinworm eggs. These items should be laundered in hot water, especially after each treatment of the infected person and after each usage of washcloths until infection is cleared.
Humans are considered to be the only hosts of E. Diagnosis is made by identifying the worm or its eggs. Worms can sometimes be seen on the skin near the anus or on underclothing, pajamas, or sheets about 2 to 3 hours after falling asleep.
The eggs stick to the tape and the tape can be placed on a slide and looked at under a microscope. Because itching and scratching of the anal area is common in pinworm infection, samples taken from under the fingernails may also contain eggs. Pinworm eggs rarely are found in routine stool or urine samples. Pinworm can be treated with either prescription or over-the-counter medications. A health care provider should be consulted before treating a suspected case of pinworm infection.
Treatment involves two doses of medication with the second dose being given 2 weeks after the first dose. All household contacts and caretakers of the infected person should be treated at the same time. Reinfection can occur easily so strict observance of good hand hygiene is essential e. Daily morning bathing and daily changing of underwear helps removes a large proportion of eggs.
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