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- Services and providers for Pinworms in the U.S.
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National Institutes of Health
- The primary NIH organization for research on Pinworms is the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
Pinworms
Also called: Enterobiasis, Oxyuriasis, Seatworm infection, Threadworm infection
Pinworms are parasites about the length of a staple that live in the rectum. They are the most common worm infection in the United States. Pinworms get inside the body when you swallow their eggs. While you sleep, the female pinworms leave the intestines through the anus and deposit eggs on nearby skin. This can cause intense anal itching. Complications from pinworms are rare.
People get pinworm infections from one another. School-age children and preschoolers are most likely to get pinworms. You do not get them from pets. If you have a mild case, you may not need treatment. If you do need treatment, you and members of your family usually take medicine, since pinworms are spread so easily.
Start Here
- Pinworm(Nemours Foundation)
- Pinworm Infection(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
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Overviews
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Parasitic Roundworm Diseases
(National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases)
- Pinworm Infection(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
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Parasitic Roundworm Diseases
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Journal Articles
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: A randomized, double-blind, multicenter clinical trial on the efficacy of...
- Article: Dipylidium caninum mimicking recurrent enterobius vermicularis (pinworm) infection.
- Article: Giardiasis and other intestinal parasitic infections in relation to anthropometric...
- Pinworms -- see more articles
- Medical Encyclopedia
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Organizations
- National Center for Zoonotic, Vector-borne, and Enteric Diseases, Division of Parasitic Diseases(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
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National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
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Children
- Pinworms(Nemours Foundation)
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Pinworms and Your Child(American Academy of Family Physicians)
Also available in Spanish
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Date last updated: 21 August 2008 Topic last reviewed: 26 May 2008 |