Persistent anal itching is the characteristic symptom of a pinworm infection , which can also give less specific symptoms such as a general sense of discomfort and abdominal pain. The infection is more widespread than is commonly thought because these nasty little worms, unfortunately, are very present in the environment and the transmission takes place with a certain ease.

How are pinworms transmitted?

Pinworms, we said, are found in the environment, where they are usually dispersed by those infected with them . The infection occurs mainly by ingesting the eggs, which can be found practically everywhere: you touch the infected surface, put your hands to your mouth and, after the incubation time, you find yourself with a nice pinworm infection.

From the mouth, in fact, the eggs move to the intestine where they hatch. During the night, the females of these parasites migrate outwards to lay their eggs, which therefore settle mainly in the anal area.

The problem can also affect adults, but it is much more common among children and adolescents ; contagion can occur at home, but also in kindergartens and schools.

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Children often put their hands in their mouths and unfortunately they do so even after touching each other elsewhere . It is also not uncommon for them to touch each other and then, perhaps, to touch everything around them, from sheets, to towels, to toys.

Eggs in embryo can be carried by a multitude of objects , for example they can be under the nails, or they can be found in house dust, between sheets, on towels, in underwear but also in outer clothing, in objects present. in the bathroom. They can also be found in less obvious areas, such as on kitchen utensils and glasses.

So how is contagion prevented?

With good hand hygiene and also teaching children, from an early age, to always keep them clean. Hands should be washed after going to the bathroom and before touching food. Nails should always be kept short and very clean. You should also avoid putting your hands in your mouth and biting your nails.

Hand hygiene is the most effective method to prevent pinworm infection and also to prevent re-infections; it is very common, in fact, that the person concerned, especially if it is a child, is continually re-infected by himself, scratching in the anal area and then bringing his hands to his mouth. Reinfestations increase the parasitic load and eradication therefore becomes more difficult.

To prevent reinfection, it is good practice to take other hygienic precautions: the most obvious is to wash the anal area and genitals with soap and water in the morning but it is also necessary to change sheets and underwear every day and wash them at a minimum temperature of 60 ° C, as well as vacuuming the bedroom and the most frequented areas of the house every day. These precautions should be taken for at least two weeks