What Are Threadworms?
Threadworms or pinworms are parasitic worms that can infect humans. They are more accurately called Enterobius vermicularis and are a type of roundworm. Infection with these worms is most common in children, but may occur in adults. Most common reason for infection is initial exposure and poor hygiene. Threadworms enter the human body orally, usually when someone gets eggs of the worms on the hands and then touches hand to mouth. Occasionally, tiny eggs become airborne and enter the mouth without hand involvement. Once the eggs are in the body, they travel to the colon and hatch. Each night pinworms then move to the anal opening and deposit eggs outside it on the skin. This egg-laying behavior makes it easy for infection of threadworms to spread to other people, particularly when good hygiene isn’t observed.
