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Prevention
By Mayo Clinic staffMethods to help prevent the spread of pinworm eggs include:
- Wash in the morning. Because pinworms lay their eggs at night, washing the anal area in the morning can help reduce the number of pinworm eggs on your body. Showering may help avoid possible re-contamination in bath water.
- Launder in hot water. Wash bed sheets, night clothes, underwear and towels in hot water to help kill pinworm eggs.
- Don't scratch. Avoid scratching the anal area. Trim your child's fingernails so there's less space for eggs to collect. Discourage nail biting.
- Wash your hands. To reduce your risk of getting or spreading an infection, be sure to wash your hands thoroughly after a bowel movement and before eating.
References
- Parasites and Health: Enterobiasis. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.dpd.cdc.gov/DPDx/html/Enterobiasis.htm. Accessed Dec. 4, 2009.
- Dent AE, et al. Enterobiasis. In: Kliegman RM, et al. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 18th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/174305878-6/925552497/1608/740.html#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-2450-7..50293-0_6143. Accessed Dec. 4, 2009.
- Craig SA, et al. Enterobiasis. In: Marx JA, et al. Rosen's Emergency Medicine. 7th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/book/player/book.do?method=display&type=bookPage&decorator=header&eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05472-0..00092-X--s0845&uniq=174305878&isbn=978-0-323-05472-0&sid=925552497#lpState=opened&lpTab=contentsTab&content=4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05472-0..00092-X--s0845%3Bfrom%3Dtoc%3Btype%3DbookPage%3Bisbn%3D978-0-323-05472-0. Accessed Dec. 4, 2009.
- Pinworm infection. American Academy of Family Physicians. http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/children/parents/common/stomach/139.html. Accessed Dec. 4, 2009.
- Fact sheet: Pinworm infection. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dpd/parasites/pinworm/factsht_pinworm.htm. Accessed Dec. 7, 2009.
- Leder K, et al. Enterobiasis and trichuriasis. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Dec. 7, 2009.
- Ferri FF. Pinworms. In: Ferri's Clinical Advisor 2010. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2009. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/174689871-3/926963641/2088/500.html#4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05609-0..00025-3--sc0155_10293. Accessed Dec. 8, 2009.
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