Pinworm

Alternative names:

enterobiasis Enterobius vermicularis; Enterobius vermicularis ovum or ova; oxyuriasis; pinworm infection; seatworm; threadworm

Symptoms:

• intense itching around the anus
• irritability (usually caused by itching and interruption of sleep at night)
• sleep disturbance (usually due to itching that occurs during the night when the adult worms migrate out through the anus to lay their eggs.
• decreased appetite and weight loss (this is uncommon but can occur in severe infections)
• vaginal irritation or discomfort in young girls (if an adult worm enters the vagina rather than the anus)
• excoriation and irritation of the skin or infection around anus from constant scratching

Signs and tests:

Pinworms can often be spotted after the child has gone to sleep. The anal sphincter relaxes and the worms crawl out onto the skin to lay their eggs.

Tape test:

• Eggs can be seen under the microscope. A sample is collected by pressing a piece of cellophane tape against the skin around the anus, then sticking the tape to a microscope slide for later observation. This should be done in the morning before bathing or using the toilet as the eggs may be inadvertently removed. The slide is then placed under the microscope and observed for pinworm eggs. The presence of eggs is diagnostic.