Enterobiasis Clinical Presentation

  • Author: Wayne Wolfram, MD, MPH; Chief Editor: Russell W Steele, MD   more...
 
Updated: Aug 19, 2011
 

History

  • Patients with enterobiasis are often asymptomatic. Worms may be incidentally discovered when they are seen in the perineal region.
  • If patients are symptomatic, pruritus ani and pruritus vulvae are common presenting symptoms. However, one study failed to find an increase of these symptoms in infested children compared with matched control subjects.
  • Restlessness during sleep is noted by the parents of many patients.
  • Enuresis may be a symptom in children with pinworms.
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Physical

  • Patients often have excoriation or erythema of the perineum, vulvae, or both, but infestation can occur without these signs.
  • Visual sighting of a worm by a reliable source (eg, a parent) is usually accepted as evidence of infestation and grounds for treatment.
  • Worms can be found in stools or on the patient's perineum before bathing in the morning.
  • Occasionally, the gravid female worm may aberrantly migrate into the female genitalia and produce vaginitis.[2] Incidental recovery at necropsy or surgery of small granulomatous lesions surrounding the worm, larvae, or eggs in the salpinx and peritoneum demonstrates the worm's ability to ascend the female genital tract.
  • Abdominal pain may sometimes be severe and can mimic acute appendicitis.[3]
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Causes

  • Enterobiasis is caused by the nematode E vermicularis.
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Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

Wayne Wolfram, MD, MPH  Associate Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, Mercy St Vincent Medical Center

Wayne Wolfram, MD, MPH is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Emergency Medicine, American Academy of Pediatrics, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Jennifer L Curry, DO  Resident Physician, Department of Emergency Medicine, St Vincent Mercy Medical Center

Jennifer L Curry, DO is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Emergency Physicians, American Osteopathic Association, and Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Steven Indra, DO  Resident Physician, Department of Emergency Medicine, St Vincent Mercy Medical Center, Toledo, OH

Steven Indra, DO is a member of the following medical societies: American Medical Association, American Osteopathic Association, and Emergency Medicine Residents Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

Michael D Nissen, MBBS, FRACP, FRCPA  Associate Professor in Biomolecular, Biomedical Science & Health, Griffith University; Director of Infectious Diseases and Unit Head of Queensland Paediatric Infectious Laboratory, Sir Albert Sakzewski Viral Research Centre, Royal Children's Hospital

Michael D Nissen, MBBS, FRACP, FRCPA is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Pediatrics, American Society for Microbiology, Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society, Royal Australasian College of Physicians, and Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Mary L Windle, PharmD  Adjunct Associate Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy; Editor-in-Chief, Medscape Drug Reference

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Martin Weisse, MD  Program Director, Associate Professor, Department of Pediatrics, West Virginia University

Martin Weisse, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Ambulatory Pediatric Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, and Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Robert W Tolan Jr, MD  Chief, Division of Allergy, Immunology and Infectious Diseases, The Children's Hospital at Saint Peter's University Hospital; Clinical Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Drexel University College of Medicine

Robert W Tolan Jr, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Pediatrics, American Medical Association, American Society for Microbiology, American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, Infectious Diseases Society of America, Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society, Phi Beta Kappa, and Physicians for Social Responsibility

Disclosure: GlaxoSmithKline Honoraria Speaking and teaching; MedImmune Honoraria Speaking and teaching; Merck Honoraria Speaking and teaching; Sanofi Pasteur Honoraria Speaking and teaching; Baxter Healthcare Honoraria Speaking and teaching; Novartis Honoraria Speaking and teaching

Chief Editor

Russell W Steele, MD  Head, Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Ochsner Children's Health Center; Clinical Professor, Department of Pediatrics, Tulane University School of Medicine

Russell W Steele, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Pediatrics, American Association of Immunologists, American Pediatric Society, American Society for Microbiology, Infectious Diseases Society of America, Louisiana State Medical Society, Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society, Society for Pediatric Research, and Southern Medical Association

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

References

  1. Fontanet AL, Sahlu T, Rinke de Wit T, et al. Epidemiology of infections with intestinal parasites and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) among sugar-estate residents in Ethiopia. Ann Trop Med Parasitol. Apr 2000;94(3):269-78. [Medline].

  2. [Guideline] American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). Vaginitis. Washington (DC): American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG); 2006 May. 12 p. (ACOG practice bulletin; no. 72). [Full Text].

  3. Ariyarathenam AV, Nachimuthu S, Tang TY, et al. Enterobius vermicularis infestation of the appendix and management at the time of laparoscopic appendectomy: case series and literature review. Int J Surg. 2010;8(6):466-9. [Medline].

  4. Snow M. Pinning down pinworms. Nursing. May 2006;36(5):17. [Medline].

  5. Singh SP, Panda C, Rout N, Mishra AP. Anal Albendazole application for pruritus ani in threadworm infestation. J Trop Pediatr. Dec 2005;51(6):386. [Medline].

  6. Wen LY, Yan XL, Sun FH, Fang YY, Yang MJ, Lou LJ. A randomized, double-blind, multicenter clinical trial on the efficacy of ivermectin against intestinal nematode infections in China. Acta Trop. Jun 2008;106(3):190-4. [Medline].

  7. Ramezani MA, Dehghani MR. Relationship between Enterobius vermicularis and the incidence of acute appendicitis. Southeast Asian J Trop Med Public Health. Jan 2007;38(1):20-3. [Medline].

  8. Sodergren MH, Jethwa P, Wilkinson S, Kerwat R. Presenting features of Enterobius vermicularis in the vermiform appendix. Scand J Gastroenterol. 2009;44(4):457-61. [Medline].

  9. Arca MJ, Gates RL, Groner JI, Hammond S, Caniano DA. Clinical manifestations of appendiceal pinworms in children: an institutional experience and a review of the literature. Pediatr Surg Int. May 2004;20(5):372-5. [Medline].

  10. Samkari A, Kiska DL, Riddell SW, et al. Dipylidium caninum mimicking recurrent enterobius vermicularis (pinworm) infection. Clin Pediatr (Phila). May 2008;47(4):397-9. [Medline].

  11. American Academy of Pediatrics. Pinworm Infection (Enterobius vermicularis). Report of the committee on infectious disease. 2009;519-20.

  12. Hoekelman RA. Pinworm Infestation. In: Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy. 15th ed. 1987.

  13. Kucik CJ, MartinGL, Sortor BV. Common Intestinal Parasites. Am Fam Physician. Mar 2004;69(5):11621-8.

  14. Lormans JA, Wesel AJ, Vanprus OF. Mebendazole in enterobiasis. A clinical trial in mental retardates. Chemotherapy. 1975;21:255.

  15. Otu-Bassey IB, Ejezie GC, Epoke J, Useh. Enterobiasis and its relationship with anal itching and enuresis among school-age children in Calabar, Nigeria. Ann Trop Med Parasitol. Sep 2005;99(6):611-6.

  16. Song HJ, Cho CH, Kim JS, et al. Prevalence and risk factors for enterobiasis among preschool children in a metropolitan city in Korea. Parasitol Res. Sep 2003;91(1):46-50. [Medline].

  17. Symmers WS. Pathology of oxyuriasis; with special reference to granulomas due to the presence of Oxyuris vermicularis (Enterobius vermicularis) and its ova in the tissues. AMA Arch Pathol. Oct 1950;50(4):475-516. [Medline].

  18. Weller TH, Sorenson CW. Enterobiasis: Its incidence and symptomatology in a group of 505 children. NEJM. 1941;224:143.

 
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Because of the short incubation time until the ova are infectious, eggs that are deposited under the fingernails during scratching and then placed in the mouth may be a mode of reinfestation.
 
 
 
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