Dr. Charles "Pat" Davis, MD, PhD, is a board certified Emergency Medicine doctor who currently practices as a consultant and staff member for hospitals. He has a PhD in Microbiology (UT at Austin), and the MD (Univ. Texas Medical Branch, Galveston). He is a Clinical Professor (retired) in the Division of Emergency Medicine, UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, and has been the Chief of Emergency Medicine at UT Medical Branch and at UTHSCSA with over 250 publications.
Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.
Jay W. Marks, MD, is a board-certified internist and gastroenterologist. He graduated from Yale University School of Medicine and trained in internal medicine and gastroenterology at UCLA/Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.
Can You Catch Pinworms from Swimming Pools, Co-Bathing, or Pets?
Can my family become infected with pinworms from swimming pools?
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.
My little kids like to co-bathe - could this be how they are becoming
infected?
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.
Did my pets give me pinworms / can I give pinworms to my pets?
No. Humans are considered to be the only hosts of E. vermicularis which is
also known as the human pinworm.
SOURCE: CDC.gov. Parasites - Enterobiasis.
What is pinworm infection?
Pinworm infection is an infection of the large intestine and anal area by a small, white parasite that resembles a
"worm." The medical name for the parasite is Enterobius vermicularis, but it is commonly termed a pinworm in both the lay and medical literature. These parasites are also termed seatworms or threadworms, and the infections is medically termed enterobiasis or helminthiasis. Pinworms and other parasitic worms (as a group are termed helminths) feed off of the host animal by adsorbing nutrients from the host animal. Pinworm infections are the most common helminth infection that occurs in the US. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates about 40 million people are infected with pinworms currently in the US.
Who is at risk for getting pinworms?
Pinworm is the most common worm infection in the United States, and the
majority of pinworm infections worldwide occur in temperate climates.
Pinworms in children
School-age children have the highest rates of pinworm infection. They are followed by
preschoolers. Institutional settings including day care facilities often harbor cases of pinworm infection. Sometimes, nearly half of the children may be infected.
Pinworms in adults
Pinworm infection often occurs in more than one family member. Adults are less likely to have pinworm infection, except
for mothers of infected children. However, adult sexual partners can transfer
the eggs to each other.
What do pinworms look like (pinworm pictures)?
The pinworms are white, can be seen with the naked eye (no magnification) and are about the length of a staple (about 8-13 mm for female and 2-5mm for male worms). The eggs that are laid by the female worms are not visible as they are about 55 micrometers in diameter and are translucent (see Figure 1).
The male and female worms live for the most part within the rectum of humans but have a life cycle in humans that involves rectal/oral transmission (see Figure 2).
While an infected person is asleep, female pinworms leave the intestines through the anus and deposit eggs on the skin around the anus. This causes
itching and irritation of the surrounding area; children especially will scratch the rectal/anal area, get eggs on their fingers or underneath their fingernails and transport the infective eggs to bedding, toys, other humans, or back to themselves. The eggs hatch into larval forms in the small intestines and then progress to the large intestine where they mature, mate, and progress to the rectal/anal area where females deposit about 10
to 15 thousand eggs.
Figure 1, picture of pinworm and pinworm eggs (magnified); (image
courtesy of CDC.gov)
What does the lifecycle of a pinworm look like?
Figure 2, picture of the lifecycle of a pinworm (image courtesy of CDC.gov)
How is pinworm infection spread?
Pinworm infection is spread person-to-person. Within a few hours of being deposited on the skin around the anus, pinworm eggs become infective (capable of infecting another person). They can survive up to
two weeks on clothing, bedding, or other objects. Infection is acquired when these eggs are accidentally swallowed,
usually due to
inadequate hand washing by the parents and children.
However, eggs on bedding or other objects that are touched while the eggs are
still viable can cause infection or reinfection of people.
The word "rash" means an outbreak of red bumps on the body. The way people use this term, "a rash" can refer to many different skin conditions. The most common of these are scaly patches of skin and red, itchy bumps or patches all over the place.
Diarrhea is a change is the frequency and looseness of bowel movements. Cramping, abdominal pain, and the sensation of rectal urgency are all symptoms of diarrhea. Absorbents and anti-motility medications are used to treat diarrhea.
Anal itching is the irritation of the skin at the exit of the rectum, known as the anus, accompanied by the desire to scratch. Causes include everything from irritating foods we eat, to certain disease and infections. Treatment options include local anesthetics, vasoconstrictors, protectants, astringents, antiseptics, keratolytics, analgesics, and corticosteroids. If condition persists, a doctor examination may be needed to identify an underlying cause.
Itching can be a common problem. Itches can be localized or generalized. There are many causes of itching to include: infection (jock itch, vaginal itch), disease (hyperthyroidism, liver or kidney), reactions to drugs, and skin infestations (pubic or body lice). Treatment for itching varies depending on the cause of the itch.
A number of vital tasks carried out during sleep help maintain good health and enable people to function at their best. Sleep needs vary from individual to individual and change throughout your life. Not getting enough sleep can hurt memory performance, health, and your mood.
Insomnia is the perception or complaint of inadequate or poor-quality sleep because of difficulty falling asleep; waking up frequently during the night with difficulty returning to sleep; waking up too early in the morning; or unrefreshing sleep. Secondary insomnia is the most common type of insomnia. Treatment for insomnia include lifestyle changes, cognitive behavioral therapy, and medication.
Bedwetting, or nocturnal enuresis, is the accidental passage of urine while asleep. There are two types of bedwetting: primary and secondary. Primary enuresis is bedwetting since infancy, and secondary enuresis is bedwetting after being consistently dry for at least six months.
Bedwetting, also called nocturnal enuresis, is the involuntary passage of urine (urinary incontinence) while asleep. Inherent in the definition of bedwetting is satisfactory bladder control while the person is awake. Therefore, urination while awake is a different condition and has a variety of difference causes than bedwetting.
What are the types of bedwetting?
There are two types of bedwetting:
Primary enuresis: bedwetting since infancy
Secondary enuresis: wetting developed after being continually dry for a minimum of six months
What is primary bedwetting?
Primary bedwetting is viewed as a delay in maturation of the nervous system. At 5 years of age, approximately 20% of children wet the bed at least once a month, with about 5% of males and 1% of females wetting nightly. By 6 years of age, only about 10% of children ar...
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