Adult pinworms live in the human body, which is both the main and intermediate host, very short term. The cycle of their development from the exit from the larva's egg to death is no more than 1.5-2 months. But, in spite of this, it's not so easy to get rid of this kind of worms that cause people to enterobiosis. Treatment of them is long and problematic due to the fact that in any violation of hygiene requirements, repeated self-infection occurs. Patients are often interested in what pinworms look like. To distinguish them from other types of parasites is quite simple. Outwardly they look like small, 0.5 to 1 cm, pointed white sticks. It is because of this that they got their name.
Although the life expectancy of pinworms is very small, they inflict great harm on the person infected by them, as their population in the host organism increases tens of times over a short period of time. This is due to the fact that females that have reached sexual maturity, begin to multiply at a frenzied rate. The cycle of helminth development proceeds as follows:
- A sexually mature female oyster living in the human body, filled with a large number of mature eggs, is unable to stay on the walls of the intestine and descends into its lower divisions for reproduction;
- The second stage of the cycle is that at night, when the muscles of the anal sphincter relax, it crawls out and lays eggs in the perianal folds of the host, causing severe itching. The life of an adult pinworm on this ends, and the cycle of development of the parasite continues due to the fact that a person starts combing the itchy areas and puts eggs under the fingernails, and then on household items and food.
Further development of viable larvae of pinworms flows inside the egg, which is covered with two membranes. This period of their development is considered incubation. The ideal conditions for maturation, which like worms, is the temperature of the human body and the average moisture level. After 4-6 hours, the larvae in the eggs become invasive, that is, ready to go into the next cycle. In the event that fertilized eggs remain in the environment, the incubation period of pinworms lasts up to 15 days.
Completion of the cycle of development of pinworm in the human body
The continuation of the life of this parasitic worm proceeds in the body of the main host. The duration of it, as already mentioned, lasts 30-60 days. This cycle of development begins with the fact that viable eggs of helminths, which are in the incubation period, move into the small intestine. There they hatched larvae of pinworms, which are attached to the mucosa by means of a mouth opening. The transformation of worm larvae into sexually mature individuals does not last long, approximately 2 weeks.
Adult worms feed on intestinal contents, and also like to swallow blood from the capillaries located in its walls. So pinworms live until the onset of the period of fertilization. After it has happened, the males die, and the eggs filled with eggs move forward for reproduction to the anus. The life cycle of adult individuals ends with this and, if the patient complies with the rules of personal hygiene, repeated infection can be avoided.
How many pinworms live outside the body?
Objects of the external environment and animal skins contaminated with helminth eggs are considered as factors of enterobiasis infection. This is why people who are afraid of invasion are interested in the duration of their life outside the intestine. In the environment, eggs of parasites can remain contagious for up to a month. For this, certain conditions are necessary - a temperature regime from 20 ° C to 40 ° C and a humidity level of at least 70%.The vitality of the eggs of pinworms stops when:
- The humidity level is significantly reduced;
- The air temperature becomes too low or too high;
- They are exposed to direct sunlight.
But the chlorine-containing products are absolutely harmless for pinworm eggs. Their viability does not stop with the processing of surrounding objects with such preparations. The best for disinfection is the use of a saturated solution of laundry soap. In addition, potentially contaminated things and laundry should be boiled or freezed, and then ironed from 2 sides. The plastic and rubber toys of a child infected with these helminths should also be washed regularly in soapy water, and the pot and toilet, where the patient defecates, is showered with boiling water. It is these procedures that will contribute to the speedy death of parasite eggs. Also, the life of pinworm eggs in the external environment can be stopped with the help of an ultraviolet lamp. It is enough to include it in the room, where the invaded patient is, for half an hour a day.