Also called: 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.
- Pinworm(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/parent/infections/parasitic/pinworm.html
- Pinworm Infection(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dpd/parasites/pinworm/factsht_pinworm.htm
- Parasitic Roundworm Diseases(National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases) - http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/topics/parasiticRoundworm/default.htm
- Pinworm Infection(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/pinworm/DS00687/DSECTION=all&METHOD=print
- Article: Helminths as governors of inflammatory bowel disease. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18628388&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: A randomized, double-blind, multicenter clinical trial on the efficacy of... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18452885&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Dipylidium caninum mimicking recurrent enterobius vermicularis (pinworm) infection. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18424563&tool=MedlinePlus
- Pinworms -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=(enterobius[mh]+OR+enterobiasis[mh])+AND+humans[mh]+AND+english[la]&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- National Center for Zoonotic, Vector-borne, and Enteric Diseases, Division of Parasitic Diseases(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dpd/
- National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases - http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/
- Pinworms(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/kid/ill_injure/sick/pinworm.html
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Pinworms and Your Child(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/children/parents/common/stomach/139.printerview.html
Also available in Spanish http://familydoctor.org/online/famdoces/home/children/parents/common/stomach/139.printerview.html
- Parasitic Diseases - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/parasiticdiseases.html
- Children and Teenagers - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/childrenandteenagers.html
- Infections - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/infections.html
The primary NIH organization for research on Pinworms is the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases - http://www.niaid.nih.gov/