High risk: Children in school/pre-school, people who are institutionalized, and family, household members, and caregivers of the first two groups. Children’s hands go everywhere and usually without a consistent washing. They are also often putting their hands/fingers in their mouth, touching toys, tables, each other, wiping hands on clothes, etc. The same goes for those in institutions. For both of these groups, their environments are a pinworm Petri dish. Moderate-risk: As you might guess based on those that are high-risk, those that come into contact with any or all of the high-risk individuals are in the moderate risk category. There’s not much you can do other than make sure you follow standard hygiene guidelines. Since you can’t avoid people just because they may have pinworm, all you can do is take care of yourself as best you can. Low-risk: This is basically everyone else. Adults who have little to no contact with either the high-risk group or fairly limited contact with the moderate-risk group are at a low risk for pinworm infections.
Once mature, the adult female worm migrates to the colon and lays eggs around the anus at night, when many of their hosts are asleep. When they lay their eggs, they use “glue” that adheres the eggs to the anus and it is this substance that triggers the skin’s itching sensation. This is why the itching is usually worse at night: the worms are migrating to the area around the rectum to lay their eggs.
This hand-to-mouth transaction can also be accomplished indirectly as well. The eggs can be passed to various surfaces such as a shirt or desk, where they can live for two to three weeks and picked up on the hands of others who, eventually, put unwashed hands to their mouth.
Restlessness, poor sleep, especially when this has not been an issue before Bedwetting Irritability (such as teeth-grinding) Vaginal discharge in females Bacterial skin infections
You may be able to see worms in the anal (rectal) area, especially if you look about two or three hours after the infected person has fallen asleep. Use a flashlight (torch) to help you see clearly. You might also see the worms in the toilet after he or she goes to the bathroom. Look to see if the worms are wriggling in bowel movements. The worms are very small, about this long: ___. They may look like little bits of white thread. They may also be found on children’s underwear in the morning.
The doctor might also take some samples from under the infected person’s fingernails and examine them for eggs. You may also use a pinworm paddle. This spatula-like device literally “scoops” the area and holds the spatula end in a plastic test tube.
Use warm water with a mild soap and vigorous hand-washing for about 30 seconds. Think two cycles of “Happy Birthday” or the “ABC song. " Wash your hands before, during, and after any and all activities with institutionalized friends/relatives, co-workers, etc. Keep your hands away from your mouth whenever you are in a school or institutional environment. Be sure to wash your hands after attending to children who are being treated for pinworms. [8] X Trustworthy Source Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services Go to source
Be careful not to trim them too short as that can cause other health issues for you or your loved one’s fingers. Always make sure to clean under the fingernails both when washing your hands and taking baths/showers. It should be a general practice to keep that area clean.
Every family member should shower or bathe every morning and change undergarments daily (showering may be preferred to avoid contaminated bathwater). During treatment, shower at night and in the morning to remove eggs that have been laid during the night.
When you handle the bedding, clothing, and towels of an infected person (or one you may suspect is infected), do so carefully. Avoid shaking the articles and wash infected articles (underwear, bed linen, sleepwear, and towels) separately from other washing.
