Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 3: Using medications
• Part 2 of 3: Disinfect your home
• Part 3 of 3: Recognizing an pinworm infection

Pinworms, also called pinworms, are tiny worms that can infect humans. You usually get this infection by accidentally swallowing an egg, which ends up in your intestine and grows into an adult pinworm. Female pinworms move to the anus (the fecal-oral route), where they lay more eggs and the cycle continues. A combination of medication and excellent hygiene measures in the house is important to get rid of pinworms.

To step

Part 1 of 3: Using medications

1. Take a dose of a worm medicine. Your doctor will prescribe a medicine for worms or recommend an over-the-counter remedy. Some examples of such drugs are mebendazole, praziquantel and albendazole. You will need to take a dose of one of these medications (follow your doctor's instructions) and then wait two weeks.
   • These drugs kill the adult pinworms. They are all exterminated, except for the eggs that are still in your body.
2. Take another dose after two weeks. After two weeks have passed, you will need to take another dose of the same medication. This second dose is to kill any new worms that have grown from the eggs. The two week period is very important because you are treating the worms at exactly the right stage of their life cycle so that you can kill them all without having to take a third dose of the drug.
3. Treat everyone in the house. Because pinworms are very contagious, your doctor will likely recommend treating everyone in the house with two doses of a worm medication. Prevention is better than cure. For example, you avoid the problems you get when one of the family members shows the signs of infection just after the first person has healed.
4. Know that medication is the best treatment. This is especially true if you are treating a pinworm infection in a child. You can theoretically treat pinworms by maintaining very good hygiene for six weeks (as the pinworm's life cycle is six weeks), but adhering to these strict measures can be challenging, especially if you have children.
   • The advantage of medication is that it works very well to fight the infection in two weeks.
   • Hygienic measures can then be used to prevent new infections.

Part 2 of 3: Disinfect your home

1. Understand how pinworms spread. You can become infected with pinworms if you come into contact with someone infected with pinworms, as well as by touching objects and surfaces that are contaminated with eggs, such as a toilet seat, bedding, and other things. To prevent other family members from becoming infected, it is therefore important to take strict hygiene measures and to let the infected persons use medication.
2. Clean the toilet seat daily. Since the eggs are located near the anus, it is important to clean the toilet seat at least once a day to avoid infecting others with pinworm eggs. It also helps to keep you from getting the infection again. Clean with water and a regular household cleaner (no need to use a special product). Wear gloves when cleaning to keep your hands clean.
3. Wash your hands regularly, especially if you have an infection. In particular, make sure to wash your hands before cooking and eating, as well as after going to the bathroom. This way you get rid of the pinworms faster by preventing them from spreading.
4. Change your bedding at least twice a week. To effectively get rid of pinworms, you need to change and wash your bedding to kill any eggs in them. It is also necessary to wash your pajamas (or whatever you sleep in) regularly, as well as the clothes you have worn. This will help to avoid re-infecting yourself with eggs. Doing this will help you to get rid of the infection faster by killing eggs that would otherwise continue the life cycle of the pinworms, and you will be back to health more quickly.
5. Do not scratch the anus. Because female pinworms move to the anus and lay eggs there, the anus can become quite irritated and itchy. People, especially children, may be tempted to scratch the anus to relieve the itching. However, this is one of the worst things you can do, as it will get eggs on your hands and contaminate the surfaces and objects you touch with your hands. Do not scratch the anus to avoid spreading and contamination with eggs.
   • Also, do not apply ointments or creams to the anus to soothe the itching. This allows the female pinworms to lay their eggs higher in the rectum or intestine, which makes the problem even worse.

Part 3 of 3: Recognizing an pinworm infection

1. Recognize the symptoms of pinworm infection. The sooner you find out you have an infection, the better. You can then immediately start taking medication and take hygiene measures at home. Common signs and symptoms include:
   • Itching and irritation around the anus
   • Signs of irritation or infection on the skin around the anus (especially in children who are more likely to scratch this area, which could cause infection from cuts)
   • Sleeping problems (due to itching of the anus)
   • Irritability (due to itching and poor sleep)
   • Itching and irritation of the vagina in girls (in rare cases, the female pinworm may end up in the vagina instead of the anus)
2. Do a tape test. If you think you or someone in your house may have pinworms, contact your doctor as soon as possible. As mentioned above, prompt diagnosis and treatment are important to get rid of the infection as quickly as possible. In a tape test, the doctor asks you to take a piece of tape and stick it to the skin around the anus. Remove the tape, put it in a plastic bag and give it to your doctor. The doctor will check the tape under the microscope for eggs. Eggs can only be seen with a microscope. If there are eggs on the tape, you have an infection with pinworms.
   • Do the tape test immediately in the morning before taking a shower or going to the bathroom.
   • Make sure to wear gloves and wash your hands thoroughly to avoid spreading the eggs. Do not allow the adhesive tape to come into contact with surfaces.
3. In any case, opt for treatment if you live in the same house as someone with pinworms. It is important to understand that if you live in the same house as someone with pinworm infection, you are advised to use medication and take hygienic precautions. An official diagnosis is not necessary in this case. Your risk is high enough in this case and prevention is better than cure because the benefits of the treatment outweigh the risks.