Threadworm also known as pinworms or Enterobius vermicularis are parasites that affect the intestines mainly the upper part of the colon.

• They can live outside the body for six weeks and live on anything and are highly contagious; at times show no symptoms of disease.
• If another touches an infected object and it gets into their mouth it travels down to the intestine where it lives and grows there (the parasites takes 1-2 months to mature into threadworms).
• Threadworms live about 5- 6 weeks in the gut and then die. However before they die, the female parasites will lay tiny eggs around the anus.
• Female worms lay their eggs (normally at night) in the anal area and in females the vaginal area and if one itches those areas, one transfers the eggs to other objects and their mouth. The eggs are to small to see.
• The eggs can also survive up to two weeks outside the body (on bedding, clothes etc) and again can hatch.
• At night the worms can be visible, ask someone else to check bed linen pyjamas or underwear after one has fallen sleep.
• Female worms are 8-13mm long
• Male worms are 2-5mm long
• Any eggs one swallows hatch and then grow into adult worms in the gut and hence this ‘cycle’ can go on and on especially as it is so contagious (even after treatment, as one may eggs yet to hatch), not just with one family or group of persons in an household, but also with children playing with other children.
• Handwashing and appropriate hygiene measures, treatments are essential to break this cycle.
• It is not from animals however it can live on animal’s fur that can be infected by humans and then transferred by the animal to another human.