Article excerpts about the
causes of Pinworm:
Pinworms enter the
body when eggs are swallowed. The female pinworm expels thousands of
eggs into the environment. Because the eggs are moist and a bit
resistant to drying, they may be able to infect someone for several
days after being distributed in dust. They can cling to the fingers
of children. (Source: excerpt from Parasitic Roundworm Diseases, NIAID Fact Sheet: NIAID)
As with all medical conditions, there may be many causal factors. Further relevant information on causes of Pinworm may be found in:
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Both forms of hookworm disease are transmitted to humans through direct skin penetration (usually in the foot) by hookworm larvae in soil contaminated with feces containing hookworm ova. These ova develop into infectious larvae in 1 to 3 days. Larvae travel through the lymphatics to the pulmonary capillaries, where they penetrate alveoli and move up the bronchial tree to the trachea and epiglottis, where they're swallowed and enter the GI tract. When they reach the small intestine, they mature, attach to the jejunal mucosa, and suck blood, oxygen, and glucose from the intestinal wall. These mature worms then deposit ova, which are excreted in the stool, starting the cycle anew. Hookworm larvae mature in approximately 5 to 6 weeks.
Hookworm disease, affecting billions of people worldwide, is most common in moist tropical and subtropical regions. There's little risk of aquiring hookworm disease in the United States because of advances in sanitization and waste control.
Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005
Adult pinworms live in the intestine; female worms migrate to the perianal region to deposit their ova. Direct transmission occurs when the patient's hands transfer infective eggs from the anus to the mouth. Indirect transmission occurs when he comes in contact with contaminated articles, such as linens and clothing.
Enterobiasis infection and reinfection occur most commonly in children between ages 5 and 14 and in certain institutionalized groups because of poor hygiene and frequent hand-to-mouth activity. Crowded living conditions increase the likelihood of it spreading to several members of a family.
Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005
Ingestion of organism via fecal–oral transmission:
Source: The 5-Minute Pediatric Consult, 2008
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