Threadworms
Threadworms
Threadworms are tiny worms you may notice in your poo. They're common in children, spread easily, and you can treat them without seeing a GP.
Common Symptoms
⚠️ This symptom list is for educational purposes. Having these symptoms does not mean you have this condition. See a doctor for proper diagnosis.
Medicines Commonly Used
⚠️ These medicines are commonly used for confirmed diagnoses of this condition. This is NOT a recommendation or prescription. Treatment must be determined by your doctor.
No medicines have been linked to this condition yet.
When to See a Doctor
If you or your child have threadworms, a pharmacy can give you advice and treatment. The pharmacist may suggest seeing your GP if needed.
Treatment
Medicine can kill the threadworms themselves, but it will not kill the eggs. The eggs can survive for up to 2 weeks even outside the body.
Alongside medicine, there are simple hygiene steps that help stop you from getting infected again. Follow these for 2 weeks if you are taking medicine, or for 6 weeks if you are not able to take medicine.
Things you can do
Do
- Wash your hands and scrub under your fingernails, especially before eating, after using the toilet, or after changing a baby's nappy
- Encourage children in the house to wash their hands often
- Shower every morning
- Rinse toothbrushes before you use them
- Keep fingernails trimmed short
- Wash sleepwear, sheets, towels and soft toys in hot water every day for several days after treatment
- Clean kitchen and bathroom surfaces with hot water
- Vacuum floors and wipe down dusty surfaces with a damp cloth
- Make sure everyone in the household wears underwear at night and puts on a clean pair in the morning
Do not
- Do not shake out clothes or bedding, since this can scatter eggs onto other surfaces
- Do not share towels or face flannels with others
- Do not bite your nails or suck your thumb or fingers
Getting treatment from a pharmacist
Mebendazole is the medicine most commonly used to treat threadworm infection. You can buy it over the counter at your local pharmacy, or a doctor can prescribe it. It usually comes as a chewable tablet or a liquid that you swallow.
Everyone in the household above 2 years of age should be treated, even those who show no symptoms.
If you need to treat a child younger than 2 years old, or if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, let the pharmacist know. Medicine may not be the right option in these cases, and it is best to speak with a doctor first.
If you are unable to take medicine, you can still clear threadworms by following the hygiene steps above for 6 weeks.
Who is most likely to get it
Threadworm infection is most common in young children, since they often forget to wash their hands and tend to share toys with other children.
Anyone living closely with someone who has a threadworm infection is also at higher risk of catching it. This is why doctors recommend treating everyone in the household at the same time when one person is found to have threadworms.
How threadworms spread
Threadworms spread when their eggs are swallowed. The worms lay eggs around the anus, or around the vagina in women, which often causes itching in that area. When you scratch, the eggs get caught under your fingernails and on your fingers. From there, they can spread to anything you touch, such as:
- Clothes
- Toys
- Toothbrushes
- Kitchen or bathroom surfaces
- Bedding
- Food
If someone else touches these surfaces and then touches their mouth, the eggs can pass to them too. The eggs are able to survive for up to 2 weeks outside the body. Once swallowed, the larvae hatch from the eggs inside the gut and take 1 to 2 months to grow into full threadworms.
Children can become infected again after treatment if they get the eggs into their mouth once more. This is why it matters to keep encouraging them to wash their hands regularly.