What is a PINWORM
 A pinworm is one of the most common type of human intestinal worm. It occurs mostly in school age children and can easily be spread from child to child. Pinworm infection usually causes itching in the anal area.

Causes of pinworm infection 
Actually pinworm live in the intestine of human, the female pinworm crawls out through the anus at night to lay their eggs on the skin which causes intense itching of the anal area. When you scratch  the itchy area, the eggs cling to your fingers and get under your fingernails. The eggs then get transferred to other surfaces, such as toys, bed linens or toilet seats. The eggs can also be transferred from contaminated fingers to food, liquids, clothes or other people. Infection is acquired when the eggs are accidentally swallowed due to inadequate hand washing by parent or children.
Pinworm eggs can survive for two to three weeks on surfaces

What are the symptoms of pinworm 
Most people infected with pinworm has no symptoms but if symptoms present they are similar in adult and children, you can experience itching around the anus which usually occurs at night, itching can be intense  which might leads to tearing the skin predisposing you to bacteria infection especially in females.  Loss of  appetite and weight can occur mostly in children of school age as well as inability to control urine, abdominal pain, skin irritability and insomnia.


Complication of pinworm infection 
  People do not experienced complication as a result of this infection,  but if you left it untreated it can cause urinary tract infection , in women the parasite can travel from the anal area up to the vagina, uterus, fallopian tubes. This can cause problems such as inflammation of the vagina known as vaginitis.

How can you prevent this infection 
Preventive action you will take revolve around personal hygiene and cleaniliness of your home, which will help to reduce the rate of reinfection.The actions to take are keeping fingernails short,


-Washing and scrubbing fingers and hands carefully with soap and water especially after defeacating, handling of diaper ,underwear and before meal will help.


-Stop the habit of nail biting and scratching of anus in children


-Ensure laundering of your clothes and linen daily to prevent spreading the disease.


-Food should be covered to limit contamination with dust-borne parasite egg,


-Cleaning of bathroom with antibacterial agent or bleach, bedroom floor should be kept clean.


-Thoroughly clean any surface that might be infected including toys, toilet seats


-Discouraged children to bathe together , as this can cause worm egg to spread in the bath water


-Tell infected person to refrain from scratching  anal area

Treatment
Pinworm infection are usually treated effectively with oral medication, treatment is mostly given to all the household members of an infected person, however please contact your doctor if you are having the listed symptom, to prescribe drugs to treat the worm.