Pinworms (Threadworms)
Everyone is afraid of something. Pinworms are no exception. They fear two things: UV light and heat - Maya Hayes
image by: Greenway Pharmacy
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I Am The Infected: Breaking The Silence Behind Pinworms
That’s right. I have it – that thing no one ever talks about. I am infected with a plague that is growing inside of my body, an ailment so damning and taboo that I am unable to confess it to anyone. But I walk around in shame, hanging my head low, worried about the prospect of spreading it to others. I feel so alone. And dirty. And disgusting. But I know I can’t be the only one.
Statistically speaking, given the contagious nature of my malady, and with figures concluding that as many as 1 in 7 people in the world are infected at any given time, I know that there are others out there. People just like me. People looking to break the silence. And yet, there are no discussions. No ribbons.…
Resources
Pyrantel: A Safe and Effective Pinworm Treatment
Pyrantel is a safe, effective, and inexpensive treatment for several types of intestinal worms, including pinworms. It has been in use since the mid-1970s. The most common form of pyrantel for human and veterinary use is pyrantel pamoate.
That anal itch: how to diagnose and permanently get rid of pinworms
If you found a worm and saw it move, you probably don’t need to see your physician. Pinworms can usually be treated completely with two doses of over-the-counter medicine called pyrantel pamoate, available in the United States under the brand names Pin-X and Reese’s Pinworm Medicine. Take one dose immediately and another dose two weeks later. If you are having persistent symptoms (anal pain, abdominal pain, blood in stool, or rectal bleeding), be sure to seek medical care immediately.
A Pinworm Medication Is Being Tested As A Potential Anti-Cancer Drug
"It's not likely that mebendazole or any other single repurposed drug is ever going to cure cancer," Bloom says. But he envisions the possibility that combinations of repurposed drugs might help the body to manage cancer.
How Do Skin-Penetrating Nematodes Find Your Feet as You Walk Barefoot Through Soil?
Parasitic nematode infections also occur in the U.S. The most common human-parasitic nematode in the U.S. is the pinworm, which infects about 42 million people nationwide, many of them children.
What Is Your Child Picking Up - Or Passing On At School?
When your child starts school they usually pick up more colds and minor infections than ever and the bugs spread to most of the family. But will your child pick up more than you anticipated? The unmentionables include nits, threadworms and impetigo.
Pyrantel: A Safe and Effective Pinworm Treatment
Pyrantel has the advantage of being usually effective after a single oral dose. In some cases, when symptoms are persistent, a second dose may be needed.. Another good thing about pyrantel is that it is not well absorbed into the body from the intestines, so it produces very few side effects. At most, mild symptoms such as nausea, diarrhea, headache, and dizziness might be expected. In very rare cases, pyrantel has caused temporary worsening of myasthenia gravis (resulting in muscle weakness) due to the drug's effect on nerve receptors controlling muscular movements Even with an overdose of pyrantel, minimal toxicity is expected. In fact, there are no reports of serious human poisoning with pyrantel in the medical literature.
Warning: Your Children Are Disgusting
It’s the Human Centipede of childhood maladies. It is horrifyingly disgusting. I’m telling you about it anyway because it’s extremely common — there are about 40 million people infected with pinworm in the United States — and your child’s reaction to the symptoms will seem upsetting if you don’t know their cause.
I Am The Infected: Breaking The Silence Behind Pinworms
Yes, it is hard to keep the heebee-jeebee’s from getting to me some days. There are moments when I sit on the toilet and cry, thinking of all of the prospective problems that we will face one day (a recurrence of this one problem included). But, the hippies do have it right about one thing – we should really just live in the moment, because it is the only thing we truly have. Well, and worms, too. But at least that will soon change, I hope.
StatPearls
Enterobius vermicularis, also called pinworm, is one of the most common nematode infections in the world. Originally, E. vermicularis was named Oxyuris vermicularis. Humans are the only natural host for this infection. Transmission occurs in people who are living in crowded environments and usually occurs within families. The worms are tiny, thread-like, and whitish. The worm is named after the characteristic pin-like tail present on the posterior part of female worms.
CDC
The medications used for the treatment of pinworm are mebendazole, pyrantel pamoate, and albendazole. All three of these drugs are to be given in 1 dose at first and then another single dose 2 weeks later. Pyrantel pamoate is available without prescription. The medication does not reliably kill pinworm eggs. Therefore, the second dose is to prevent re-infection by adult worms that hatch from any eggs not killed by the first treatment.Health practitioners and parents should weigh the health risks and benefits of these drugs for patients under 2 years of age.
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