What is Pinworm?

What is Pinworm?

Pinworms, also called threadworms, typically infect the bowel of children in tropical areas. ...more »

• Pinworm: Small, threadlike parasitic worms mainly in colon and rectum.
• Pinworm: Infection with nematodes of the genus ENTEROBIUS; E. vermicularis, the pinworm of man, causes a crawling sensation and pruritus. This condition results in scratching the area, occasionally causing scarification.
  Source - Diseases Database
• Pinworm: small threadlike worm infesting human intestines and rectum especially in children.
  Source - WordNet 2.1

Pinworm: Introduction

Types of Pinworm:

Broader types of Pinworm:

• Worm conditions
• Roundworm
• Anorectal disorders
• Rectal conditions
• Bowel conditions
• Colon conditions
• Parasitic diseases
• Conditions involving a pathogen
• Child health conditions
• Digestive conditions
• Abdominal conditions
• more types...»

Who gets Pinworm?

Patient Profile for Pinworm: Mainly children

Profile for Pinworm: Pinworm is the most common worm infection in the United States. School-age children, followed by preschoolers, have the highest rates of infection. In some groups nearly 50% of children are infected. Infection often occurs in more than one family member. Adults are less likely to have pinworm infection, except mothers of infected children. Child care centers, and other institutional settings often have cases of pinworm infection. (Source: excerpt from Pinworm Infection: DPD) ... Because pinworm infection is spread mainly by children, it is found most often in family groups, day-care centers, schools, and camps. (Source: excerpt from Parasitic Roundworm Diseases, NIAID Fact Sheet: NIAID)

Geography Profile for Pinworm: A pinworm is the most common roundworm parasite in temperate climates – even in areas with high levels of sanitation. In the United States, it is the most common of all parasitic roundworm infections, affecting up to one-third of the country's children. (Source: excerpt from Parasitic Roundworm Diseases, NIAID Fact Sheet: NIAID)

How serious is Pinworm?

Prognosis of Pinworm: Rarely serious, many resolve even without treatment.
Complications of Pinworm: see complications of Pinworm

What causes Pinworm?

Causes of Pinworm: see causes of Pinworm

What are the symptoms of Pinworm?

Symptoms of Pinworm: see symptoms of Pinworm

Complications of Pinworm: see complications of Pinworm

Can anyone else get Pinworm?

Contagion of Pinworm: Pinworm eggs are spread typically from the anus to fingers to another person's mouth.
More information: see contagiousness of Pinworm
Inheritance: see inheritance of Pinworm

Pinworm: Testing

Diagnostic testing: see tests for Pinworm.

Misdiagnosis: see misdiagnosis and Pinworm.

How is it treated?

Doctors and Medical Specialists for Pinworm: Pediatrician, Family Practice Physician ; see also doctors and medical specialists for Pinworm.
Treatments for Pinworm: see treatments for Pinworm
Alternative treatments for Pinworm: see alternative treatments for Pinworm
Prevention of Pinworm: see prevention of Pinworm

Society issues for Pinworm

Hospitalization statistics for Pinworm: The following are statistics from various sources about hospitalizations and Pinworm:

• 0.0014% (184) of hospital consultant episodes were for enterobiasis in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 89% of hospital consultant episodes for enterobiasis required hospital admission in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 42% of hospital consultant episodes for enterobiasis were for men in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 58% of hospital consultant episodes for enterobiasis were for women in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 70% of hospital consultant episodes for enterobiasis required emergency hospital admission in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• more statistics...»

Organs Affected by Pinworm:

Organs and body systems related to Pinworm include:

• Colon
• Rectum

Name and Aliases of Pinworm

Main name of condition: Pinworm

Class of Condition for Pinworm: parasite worm

Enterobiasis, Enterobius vermicularis, threadworm, seatworm, Enterobius vermicularis infection, Oxyuriasis, Human enterobiasis

Enterobiasis, Enterobius vermicularis, Oxyuris vermicularis, Pinworm disease, Threadworm Source - Diseases Database

Threadworm, Enterobius vermicularis
Source - WordNet 2.1

Pinworm: Related Conditions

Research the causes of these diseases that are similar to, or related to, Pinworm:

• Pinworm infection
• Enterobius vermicularis
• E vermicularis
• Seatworm infection
• Threadworm infection
• Enterobiasis
• Oxyuriasis
• Helminthic infection

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