The pinworm, according to the Mayo Clinic, is the most common intestinal worm infecting people within the United States. They are white, thin and up to 1/2 inch or 13mm in their length. The female pinworms lay their eggs at night around the person's anus during sleeping. This intestinal worm infestation occurs most often in children of school age. The pinworms can spread if a child fails to wash after going to the bathroom or itching their rear ends.
Peritoneal Cavity Infections
Pinworms move around form the anal cavity to the vagina, traveling throughout areas of the peritoneal cavity, the Mayo Clinic reports. In doing so, the worms transport bacteria to other parts of the female's organs, causing infections to occur. Infections such as edometritis and vaginitis often occur as effects of pinworm infestation in females. The entire peritoneal cavity, which houses the fallopian tubes and the uterus as well as other organs of the pelvis, may become infested this way.
Infections of the Urinary Tract
Urinary tract infections occur mostly in women as a complication and effect of the infestation of pinworms. If the infestation includes many pinworm organisms, the chances of getting a urinary tract infection increase because they may migrate from the anus to the vagina and the urethra.
Loss of Body Weight
A person infected by pinworms may lose his appetite without knowing why. The person will not feel like eating much because of the occurrence of abdominal pain. Pinworms absorb the nutrients from the intestines and cause abdominal pain. This effect can cause weight loss and a decrease in the sense of well-being.
Intense Anal itching
Intense anal itching can result from a pinworm infestation as well as from associated infections. At night, the female pinworm moves and lays her eggs on the anal cavity causing tingling around the anus, which in turn causes itching to occur. The itching is intense and causes problems with sleeping.
