$Unique_ID{BRK00131}
$Pretitle{Infections or Parasites}
$Title{What are Pinworms?}
$Subject{pinworms diagnosis treatment}
$Volume{A-12}
$Log{}

Copyright (c) 1991   Tribune Media Services, Inc.


What are Pinworms?


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QUESTION:  Its not an experience I really want to talk about, and so I have no
where to turn but you.  I can't believe it myself, but my physician has made
the diagnosis of pinworms on my child, and bases his opinion on a test he did
with Scotch Tape.  Now he wants my whole family to take an expensive medicine.
What do you think of this mess I am in?

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ANSWERS:  Your reaction is not uncommon, but then neither is the infection
your youngster is suffering from.  It is estimated that as many as 42 million
Americans may have pinworms in their systems.  The pinworm is a type of
roundworm, small (between 5mm and 10mm long) and whitish in color.  They live
in the human colon, but the female lays her eggs, as many as 10,000 at a time,
in the skin folds around the anus.  And that causes the symptom most typical
of this disease, an itching around the anal area, sometimes associated with
restless sleep, and night awakenings.  Many individuals, however, display no
symptoms or complaints.  Once the eggs have been laid, they may survive for as
long as three weeks, during which they hatch into larvae and find their way
back up the lower intestinal tract.  They are transmitted from one individual
to another when they are picked up in the fingernails during scratching, and
deposited on material (clothing or toys) which then find their way to the
mouth and the eggs are swallowed.  The most commonly used test to discover
these eggs IS the transparent adhesive tape test, which picks up the minuscule
eggs from the area around the anus, and then used to transfer them to slides
for microscopic examination.  Since pinworms are so highly contagious it is
often wise to treat all the members of the immediate family the first time a
diagnosis is made, to attempt to prevent recurrence, which unfortunately is
very common.
ÿ
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The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace 
the counsel and advice of your personal physician.  Promptly consulting your 
doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical 
problem.
