What are Threadworms?

Threadworms or pinworms are parasitic worms that can infect humans. They are more accurately called Enterobius vermicularis and are a type of roundworm. Infection with these worms is most common in children, but may occur in adults. Most common reason for infection is initial exposure and poor hygiene.

Threadworms enter the human body orally, usually when someone gets eggs of the worms on the hands and then touches hand to mouth. Occasionally, tiny eggs become airborne and enter the mouth without hand involvement. Once the eggs are in the body, they travel to the colon and hatch. Each night pinworms then move to the anal opening and deposit eggs outside it on the skin. This egg-laying behavior makes it easy for infection of threadworms to spread to other people, particularly when good hygiene isn’t observed.

The main symptoms of infection with threadworms are strong anal itching. Some people may have disturbed sleep due to this symptom. Others barely notice the itching, which might cause the infection to remain. Chief problem with allowing infection to persist is that eggs on skin, clothing and bedclothes can spread infection to others easily. This especially occurs with younger children in school environments and in institutional settings or long time care facilities.

It is extremely easy to treat threadworms when infection, called oxyuriasis, is noted. The greater trouble is noticing it, especially if symptoms are minor. A couple of different tactics are used to diagnose presence of pinworms.

After people go to sleep, examination of the anus with a small light may show pinworms. This method might be used with children who will likely sleep through it. Placing a small amount of tape on the anus and quickly removing it may reveal presence of eggs under a microscope. Alternately, tiny samples taken from under the fingernails could also show the presence of eggs. If the condition is suspected, people should consult with doctors on best diagnostic methods.

Treatment to kill threadworms is simple. People take prescribed or over the counter medicine in two doses over a couple of weeks. Killing the worms may be easy, but preventing reinfection is not. People must follow strict hygiene instructions, including making certain bedclothes are cleaned daily and the infected person takes a morning shower, so new eggs don’t cause infection recurrence.

It’s hard to know where infection with threadworms originates. Most often, it’s person-to-person, making those with the worst hygiene the most vulnerable. This tends to mean kids, and every effort should be made to encourage hygienic behavior at home and school. Handwashing is particularly important to prevent pinworm infection and many other more serious illnesses. Children complaining of anal itching should also be checked for infection with threadworms.