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By Mayo Clinic staffMild pinworm infections — with only a small number of adult worms in your body — may cause no symptoms. Symptoms occur with moderate or heavy infections.
A few weeks after you ingest pinworm eggs, the mature female worms migrate from your intestine to the area around your anus, where they lay their eggs. This typically happens at night. The maturing and reproduction stages may cause:
- Itching of the anal or vaginal area
- Insomnia, irritability and restlessness
- Vague gastrointestinal symptoms, such as intermittent abdominal pain and nausea