Enterobiasis
Enterobiasis is the medical condition of being infected with pinworms. The medical name for the pinworm is Enterobius vermicularis.The pinworm is about the length of a staple. Adult pinworms live in the intestine and colon, and at night the female adult worms deposit their eggs outside the rectum or anal area. It lives for the most part within the rectum of humans. While an infected person is asleep, female pinworms leave the intestines through the anus and deposit eggs on the skin around the anus.Because pinworm infection is caused by Enterobius vermicularis, the infection is also called enterobiasis. Pinworm is the most common worm infection in the United States. All socioeconomic levels are affected, and infestation often occurs in family clusters. Infestation does not equate with poor home sanitary measures School-age children have the highest rates of pinworm infection. They are followed by preschoolers. Institutional settings, including day care facilities, often harbor cases of pinworm infection. Sometimes, nearly half of the children may be infected. Enterobius vermicularis is an obligate parasite; humans are the only natural host. Fecal-oral contamination via fomites is a common method of infestation. After ingestion, eggs usually hatch in the duodenum within 6 hours. Adult worms normally inhabit the terminal ileum, cecum, vermiform appendix, and proximal ascending colon. The worms live free in the intestinal lumen, and little evidence exists to support invasion of healthy tissue under normal conditions. Enterobiasis is contracted by swallowing the minute eggs of Enterobius vermicularis. These hatch in the small intestine, and can grow up to 1cm long. The adult female emerges at night to lay her eggs around the anus.The gravid female migrates to the anus and deposits eggs in the perianal skin folds, usually at nighttime.
The movement of the female and the ova cause intense local itching. The female worm migrates to the rectum after copulation and, if not expelled during defecation, migrates to the perineum. Remain infectious in the environment for up to 3 weeks. Because of the short incubation time until the ova are infectious, eggs that are deposited under the fingernails during scratching and then placed in the mouth may be a mode of reinfection.It is sometimes possible to see the female worm if the anus of the individual concerned is inspected at night -time. The laying of eggs causes itching in the anal area, which may lead to scratch ing, and eggs being transferred to the hand. The eggs may be deposited on a door handle or other communal object by an infected individual. Infected individuals often swallow the tiny eggs that become caught under their fingernail s, leading to reinfection. The eggs may also be inhaled when disturbed from the underwear or bedclothes of the infected.
Causes of Enterobiasis
Common causes of Enterobiasis
- Worm.
- Ingesting eggs.
- Infection.
Symptoms of Enterobiasis
Common symptoms of Enterobiasis
- Weight loss.
- Excoriation.
- Intense itching.
- Disturbed sleep.
- Irritability.
- Restlessness.
- Loss of appetite.
- Infection of the skin.
- Painful itching.
- Restless sleep.
- Appetite.
Treatment of Enterobiasis
Common Treatment of Enterobiasis
- Usually a single tablet of mebendazole is used for treatment. This can sometimes be repeated a week later or, if infection persists, three weeks later. There are also over-the- counter drugs for pinworm.
- Avoid scratching the infected area as this contaminates the fingers and everything else that they subsequently touch. Keep hands and fingers away from the nose and mouth unless they are freshly washed. Carry out these measures while family members are treated with medication
- Enterobiasis may be treated with over-the-counter drugs. Treatment involves a two-dose course. The second dose should be given 2 weeks after the first.
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