Question

Recently, I found white, thread-like worms around my child’s anus. There were only two instances, in June and yesterday. What kind of worm is this? What are the causes? How should it be dealt with?

Answer

Hello: The worms you described are not ascarids but threadworms. Threadworm infection is a common intestinal parasite in children, characterized by itching around the anal area and genital region and restlessness at night. Children between the ages of 2 and 9 are more likely to be infected. Threadworms are white and slender, resembling threads. Male worms are 2-5 millimeters long, while females are 8-13 millimeters. They live in the colon, rectum, and sometimes the small intestine of humans. After mating, the female and male worms die shortly after being excreted with feces; gravid females move down and lay their eggs in the anal creases and genital area at night when the host is asleep for 1 to 3 hours. Most of the eggs die shortly after hatching. Treatment involves using a threadworm cream.