How does pinworms start

Scrub fingernails with a nail brush daily. Wash hands thoroughly for at least 20 seconds after using the bathroom and before eating. Shower each morning to help remove eggs from the skin. Wear snug underwear, avoiding boxer shorts. Change underwear every morning. Wash bed linens, pajamas, towels, and washcloths with each use; do not shake before laundering. Change hand towels daily. Vacuum carpets and clean floors at least once a week, paying special attention to the bedrooms and bathrooms.

Clean kitchen and bathroom surfaces daily, especially faucets and the toilet flusher. Refrain from eating in the bedroom to avoid possibly swallowing eggs that have landed in bed linens. Keep toothbrushes in a closed cabinet.

Theoretically, airborne eggs can land on toothbrushes. Frequently wash underwear, pajamas, bedding, and toys. Regularly vacuum. For adults, avoid of oral-anal contact during sexual relations. Keep fingernails short and clean. Refrain from biting fingernails. More than one billion people worldwide are thought to be infected with pinworms. KidsHealth for the Nemours Foundation This nonprofit children's health system provides readers with easy-to-understand info on a wide variety of health topics.

American Academy of Pediatrics The AAP is a professional organization that boasts roughly 67, pediatricians as members. Editorial Sources and Fact-Checking. Pinworm Infection. July Pinworm Infection — Symptoms and Causes.

Mayo Clinic. June 16, Merck Manual Consumer Version. September National Organization for Rare Disorders. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. January 10, November 21, Pinworm Test.

UCSF Health. September 22, They look like tiny pieces of white thread. You also might see them on your underwear when you wake up in the morning. But the pinworm eggs are too tiny to be seen without a microscope. The itching from the pinworms might wake you up in the middle of the night and make you squirm a lot.

So if you're itchy and sore on your bottom, tell your mom or dad. And if you see worms in your underwear or in the toilet, you should tell a parent right away. You should know, though, that some people with pinworms don't have any symptoms at all. If you might have pinworms, your mom or dad will take you to the doctor so you can get medicine to get rid of the worms.

To see if you have pinworms, the doctor may have your parent help you do an easy test at home. Your parent will place a small piece of tape on the skin around your anus at night or when you first get up in the morning, then take it off and bring it to the doctor.

It doesn't hurt at all, and the doctor will look at the tape under a microscope to see if there are any eggs on it. He or she might also take some samples from under your fingernails to see if there are any eggs. If you have pinworms, don't worry. They don't cause any harm just itching! Your doctor will give you some medicine to take right away and then again 2 weeks later to be sure the worms are gone. In institutions, mass and simultaneous treatment, repeated in 2 weeks, can be effective.

Hand hygiene is the most effective method of prevention. Trimming and scrubbing the fingernails and bathing after treatment is important to help prevent reinfection and spread of pinworms. This information is not meant to be used for self-diagnosis or as a substitute for consultation with a health care provider.

If you have any questions about the parasites described above or think that you may have a parasitic infection, consult a health care provider. Contact Us. Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options Skip directly to A-Z link. Parasites - Enterobiasis also known as Pinworm Infection.

Section Navigation. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Syndicate. Pinworm Infection FAQs. Minus Related Pages. On This Page What is a pinworm? What are the symptoms of a pinworm infection? Who is at risk for pinworm infection? How is pinworm infection spread? Can my family become infected with pinworms from swimming pools? My little kids like to co-bathe — could this be how they are becoming infected? How is pinworm infection diagnosed? How is pinworm infection treated?

Should family and other close contacts of someone with pinworm also be treated for pinworm? What should be done if the pinworm infection occurs again?

How can pinworm infection and reinfection be prevented? To receive email updates about this page, enter your email address: Email Address. What's this?