Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsHow They Are AcquiredRisksOTC TreatmentsPrescription TreatmentHygiene and Home CareDiagnosisGetting Rid of ThemReinfection
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Symptoms
How They Are Acquired
Risks
OTC Treatments
Prescription Treatment
Hygiene and Home Care
Diagnosis
Getting Rid of Them
Reinfection
Pinworms are small parasitic worms that live in a person’s colon and rectum and lay eggs around the anus. Pinworm infection is the most common type of worm infection in the United States, and it occurs most often in children and people who live in group settings, like nursing homes.
Pinworm eggs can cause anal itching and restlessness at night, but overall the infection is generally minor.
Continue reading to learn more about pinworms, including how they’re acquired and how to tell if you or your child has this type of infection.
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Common Symptoms of Pinworms
The most common symptom of pinworms is anal itching, usually at night. At night, female pinworms come out of the colon to lay their eggs on the anus. This causes itchiness that can lead to restlessness during sleep.
Children
Pinworm infection is most common in school-aged children, making it a fairlycommon childhood illness. The symptoms of pinworms in kids can include:
Adults
Adults experience the same symptoms of pinworms that kids do. Adults might also experience nervousness or a loss of appetite in severe cases.
Anal and Vaginal
Where Do Pinworms Come From?
A person gets a pinworm infection when they unintentionally swallow pinworm eggs. The eggs hatch in the digestive tract, and one to two months later females start laying their eggs on the anus, leading to itching.
Transmission
Pinworm transmission happens via the fecal-oral route, When pinworm eggs travel from an infected person’s anus to another person’s mouth. This can happen in a few different ways:
Contagiousness
Since pinworms are highly contagious, they often spread through family homes, daycares and other institutions like nursing homes. If someone in your family is being treated for pinworms, everyone else in the household should be treated too, even if they don’t have symptoms.
Risks of Untreated Pinworms
Pinworms generally have few risks. However, severe infections can cause additional symptoms including:
Over-the-Counter (OTC) Pinworm Treatment
There is one over-the-counter pinworm treatment available. It’s called pyrantel pamoate, a medication used to treat pinworms and other intestinal worms, including roundworms and hookworms. To treat pinworms, the medication is taken as one dose. Then, another dose is taken two weeks later.The treatment kills pinworms, but doesn’t always kill all their eggs.
When Do Symptoms Warrant Prescription Treatment?
There are two types of prescription medications used to treat pinworms. If you or your children have pinworms, it’s best to talk with your healthcare provider about whether an over-the-counter or prescription treatment is best. The two prescriptions that treat pinworms are:
Safety of Pinworm TreatmentsAlthough pinworm infections often occur in children and their caregivers, there’s not solid research about the safety of pinworm treatments for children under the age of 2, pregnant people, and people who are breastfeeding. Talk with your healthcare provider if you or your child fall into one of these groups.
Safety of Pinworm Treatments
Although pinworm infections often occur in children and their caregivers, there’s not solid research about the safety of pinworm treatments for children under the age of 2, pregnant people, and people who are breastfeeding. Talk with your healthcare provider if you or your child fall into one of these groups.
Hygiene and Disinfecting the Home
If you’re fighting a pinworm infection, these tips can help you keep the infection from spreading:
Testing to Diagnose Pinworms
You can diagnose pinworms in yourself or a loved one at home, although you may need to go to a healthcare provider for confirmation. Here’s how:
The Flashlight Test
If you suspect that you or a loved one has pinworms, use a flashlight to carefully examine their anus for three nights in a row. Look for pinworms, which are typically white and about the size of a staple. They might look like threads.
You can also look for redness or irritation, which can indicate a pinworm infection.
The Tape Test
This test is considered the best way to look for pinworms. Here’s how to do it:
Sometimes, your healthcare provider will provide you with a pinworm test kit. In that case, follow the directions on the kit.
How Long Does It Take to Get Rid of Pinworms?
It takes about two weeks to get rid of pinworms.The initial dose of medication will kill most worms, but not all the eggs. Because of that, it’s recommended that you take another dose of medication, two weeks after the first.
In order to get rid of pinworms quickly, follow these steps:
Reinfection From Pinworms
Summary
Pinworms are the most common worm infection in Americans. They mostly impact children, their caregivers, and people who live in group settings. An itchy anus, especially at night, is the most common symptom of pinworms, although some people with the infection have no symptoms at all. If you believe you or your loved ones have pinworms, talk with your healthcare provider about the best treatment.
Typically, the whole household will need to get two doses of medication: one as soon as possible, and one two weeks later. Washing your hands frequently and doing laundry with hot water can also help you avoid reinfection.
6 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Pinworm infection FAQs.Nemours.Pinworm infection (for parents).New York State Department of Health.Pinworm infection.MedlinePlus.Pyrantel. Sept. 15, 2017.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Parasites - Enterobiasis (also known as Pinworm Infection). August 28, 2019.MedlinePlus.Pinworm test.
6 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Pinworm infection FAQs.Nemours.Pinworm infection (for parents).New York State Department of Health.Pinworm infection.MedlinePlus.Pyrantel. Sept. 15, 2017.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Parasites - Enterobiasis (also known as Pinworm Infection). August 28, 2019.MedlinePlus.Pinworm test.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Pinworm infection FAQs.Nemours.Pinworm infection (for parents).New York State Department of Health.Pinworm infection.MedlinePlus.Pyrantel. Sept. 15, 2017.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Parasites - Enterobiasis (also known as Pinworm Infection). August 28, 2019.MedlinePlus.Pinworm test.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Pinworm infection FAQs.
Nemours.Pinworm infection (for parents).
New York State Department of Health.Pinworm infection.
MedlinePlus.Pyrantel. Sept. 15, 2017.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Parasites - Enterobiasis (also known as Pinworm Infection). August 28, 2019.
MedlinePlus.Pinworm test.
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