What causes humans to get pin worms?

Answer 1

Pinworms do not come from pets. Humans spread pinworms to one another. Pinworms live in the intestines, are excreted in the feces, lay eggs around the anus, and die. Pinworms are itchy (they have pinpoint ends) and you scratch, get the eggs under your fingernails, put your hands in your mouth, and the cycle starts over.

Pinworms are best treated with prescription antihelminthic (anti-parasitic) medications. If one family member has pinworms, the entire family is usually treated. Sheets and towels should be laundered, as eggs may have been deposited in them.

Obviously, frequent handwashing is crucial. So is keeping your hands away from your mouth and nose.

Gross and embarrassing? Yes. Have I had pinworms? Yes!

Answer 2

Poop and raw meat! Seriously though... There are many different types of parasitic worms... round worms, pin worms, tapeworms, lung flukes... people get parasitic worms when they come into something contaminated with the worms eggs. Most worms stay confined to the GI tract, but in pigs particularly (and beef too) the worms migrate to the muscle where they lay eggs. When we cook meat, the eggs die. But if the meat isn't cooked properly, we ingest some of the microscopic eggs and the eggs hatch and the worms make a nice home in our guts. The worms then lay eggs which are excreted in our feces. This is the way that the worms are able to sustain life...they come leave the body so the eggs can find a new person to grow in. This is also how poop plays a role. If you come into contact with animal or human feces that are infected (i.e. changing a diaper, two kids with unwashed hands sharing a toy) and then put your hands in your mouth, you can pick up the eggs (This route is called the fecal-oral route, gross, I know, but true). The parasitic worms are usually harmless, though if you get a really bad infestation they might cause GI symptoms (no appetite, constipation). If your friend has any pets, he should take a stool sample into the vet and have them tested because if the pet is the source, he could get reinfected. In certain countries worms are EXTREMELY common, particularly those without sanitized drinking water. Worms are treated with medication which kills the adult worms and their eggs, both dead organisms are excreted with a bowel movement. An interesting fact... the round worm mommy travels to the anus at night to lay her eggs which causes an itchy bum. The hope is that the host will scratch and spread the eggs. And my last interesting fact... a taeniaphobe is someone who is afraid of tapeworms. I fall in to this category!

Answer 3

Pinworms (Enterobius vermicularis) are extremely easy to catch from someone who is infected. The infection is spread by tiny eggs deposited around the anus by the worms. When someone with pinworms scratches this area, eggs lodge under the fingernails and can be spread to anything he or she touches. Eggs are also spread by dust, clothing, bedding, or toys. When someone else accidentally eats the eggs, they also become infected with pinworms. When the eggs hatch, new worms crawl back into the intestine to reinfect the same person.

Answer 4

usually, biting your nails. eggs live in the dirt outside, you get them under your nails when outside, you chew your nails, and voila, you get pin worms.