The following are health and medical definitions of terms that appear in the Pinworm Test article.
Anus: The opening of the rectum to the outside of the body. See the entire definition of Anus
Bowel: Another name for the intestine. The small bowel and the large bowel are the small intestine and large intestine, respectively. See the entire definition of Bowel
CDC: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the US agency charged with tracking and investigating public health trends. The stated mission of the CDC is "To promote health and quality of life by preventing and controlling disease, injury, and disability." The CDC is a part of the U.S. Public Health Services (PHS) under the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). See the entire definition of CDC
Diagnosis:1 The nature of a disease; the identification of an illness. 2 A conclusion or decision reached by diagnosis. The diagnosis is rabies. 3 The identification of any problem. The diagnosis was a plugged IV. See the entire definition of Diagnosis
Helminth: A worm classified as a parasite. (A parasite is a disease-causing organism that lives on or in a human or another animal and derives its nourishment from its host.) Lice are examples of parasites that live on humans; bacteria and viruses are examples of parasites that live either on humans or in humans; helminths are examples of parasites that live in humans. See the entire definition of Helminth
Infection: The growth of a parasitic organism within the body. (A parasitic organism is one that lives on or in another organism and draws its nourishment therefrom.) A person with an infection has another organism (a "germ") growing within him, drawing its nourishment from the person. See the entire definition of Infection
Intestine: The long, tubelike organ in the abdomen that completes the process of digestion. It consists of the small and large intestines.
Itching: An uncomfortable sensation in the skin that feels as if something is crawling on the skin or in the skin, and makes the person want to scratch the affected area. See the entire definition of Itching
Laboratory: A place for doing tests and research procedures and preparing chemicals, etc. Although "laboratory" looks very like the Latin "laboratorium" (a place to labor, a work place), the word "laboratory" came from the Latin "elaborare" (to work out, as a problem, and with great pains), as evidenced by the Old English spelling "elaboratory" designating "a place where learned effort was applied to the solution of scientific problems."
Large intestine: Comes after the small intestine. Large because it is wider than the small intestine.
Microscope: An optical instrument that augments the power of the eye to see small objects. The name microscope was coined by Johannes Faber (1574-1629) who in 1628 borrowed from the Greek to combined micro-, small with skopein, to view. Although the first microscopes were simple microscopes, most (if not all) optical microscopes today are compound microscopes.
Parasitic: Having to do with a parasite, as in a parasitic infection; or acting like a parasite by taking nourishment from another.
Parasitic worm: A worm classified as a parasite. (A parasite is a disease-causing organism that lives on or in a human or another animal and derives its nourishment from its host.) Lice are examples of parasites that live on humans; bacteria and viruses are examples of parasites that live either on humans or in humans; parasitic worms (also called helminths) live in humans. See the entire definition of Parasitic worm
Pinworm infection: An infection caused by a small, white intestinal worm: the pinworm or, more formally, Enterobius vermicularis. The pinworm is about the length of a staple and lives for the most part within the rectum of humans. While an infected person is asleep, female pinworms leave the intestines through the anus and deposit eggs on the skin around the anus. Because Enterobius vermicularis is a pinworm, pinworm infection is also called enterobiasis. See the entire definition of Pinworm infection
Rectum: The last 6 to 8 inches of the large intestine. The rectum stores solid waste until it leaves the body through the anus. The word rectum comes from the Latin rectus meaning straight (which the human rectum is not).
Sensation: In medicine and physiology, sensation refers to the registration of an incoming (afferent) nerve impulse in that part of the brain called the sensorium, which is capable of such perception. Therefore, the awareness of a stimulus as a result of its perception by sensory receptors. (Sensory is here synonymous with sensation.) See the entire definition of Sensation
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.
Pinworm infection is an intestinal infection caused by a pinworm, seatworm, or threadworm. Female pinworms leave the intestine through the anus and deposit eggs on the skin around the anus while a person is asleep. Pinworm infection is the most common worm infection in the US. Symptoms include anal itching or vaginal itching. Pinworm infection is generally spread by inadequate handwashing from infected persons. Treatment is effective after a diagnosis is made with a pinworm test.
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 occ...
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