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| Division of Public Health Services Disease Handbook for Childcare Providers | |
| Bureau of Infectious Disease Control REVISED –January 2018 | |
| PINWORMS (Enterobuius Vermicularis) | |
| Pinworms are tiny worms that live in the lower | |
| intestine of people. Most often at night, female | |
| worms come out to the anus of an infected person | |
| and lay their microscopic eggs. | |
| Who gets this disease? | |
| Anyone can. It is particularly common in | |
| preschool and school -aged children and therefore | |
| in daycare centers. | |
| How is it spread? | |
| Pinworm eggs can be transferred orally from the | |
| infected individual to another person. The eggs | |
| can also be transferred indirectly through | |
| clothing, bedding, food and other contaminated | |
| articles. | |
| What are the symptoms? | |
| People may be without symptoms or they may | |
| have anal itching, feel irritable and/or have | |
| disturbed sleep. | |
| How soon do the symptoms appear? | |
| Symptoms usually appear between two-weeks and | |
| two-months. The life cycle requires two to six | |
| weeks to complete. | |
| Can a person have this disease without | |
| knowing it? | |
| Yes. Often, members of an infected child’s | |
| household are also unknowingly infected and, if | |
| not treated, can reinfect a treated child and other | |
| people. | |
| What is the treatment? | |
| There are several medicines available to treat this | |
| infection. Often healthcare providers will treat | |
| the entire family if one member of the home is | |
| infected. | |
| How can the spread of this disease be | |
| prevented? | |
| 1. Wash hands thoroughly after using the | |
| toilet and after diapering children. | |
| 2. Children should be bathed in the morning | |
| so that any eggs laid at night can be | |
| removed. | |
| 3. Wash hands thoroughly before preparing | |
| food. | |
| 4. If you suspect a child has pinworms, based | |
| on symptoms, this child should see a | |
| physician for the correct diagnosis and | |
| treatment. | |
| 5. Each child’s dirty clothing should be | |
| stored separately in plastic bags and sent | |
| home for laundering. | |
| 6. All bedding and clothing should be | |
| washed in HOT water. | |
| 7. Every child should have his/her own crib | |
| or mat and should not switch sheets with | |
| other children. Mats should be kept clean. | |
| 8. Clean and vacuum play and sleeping areas | |
| daily for several days after diagnosis. | |
| Who should be excluded? | |
| Once the diagnosis of pinworms is ma de, the | |
| child should be appropriately treated. After the | |
| treatment the child does not need to be kept out of | |
| childcare. | |
| Reportable? | |
| No, pinworms are not reportable by New | |
| Hampshire law to the Division of Public Health | |
| Services, Bureau of Infectious Disea se Control . | |
| However, Public Health Professionals are | |
| available for consultation at (603) 271-4496. | |