The pinworm is a small, white parasitic worm, the length of a staple which lives for the most part in the rectum of humans.
The female pinworm exit the intestines through the anus while an infected person is sleeping and deposit eggs on the skin around the anus and in a few hours, pinworm eggs become infectious (capable of infecting another person).
The person feel symptoms like itching and irritation of the surrounded area and especially children scratch the anal area, get eggs underneath their fingernails and transfer the eggs to bed, toys, other people or back to themselves through the mouth. The eggs can survive up to three weeks on clothes or bed.
The pinworm test is performed when a person starts to feel the symptoms. It is suggested by clinicians to done the test when immediately when a person awakens and before cleansing or any bowel movement.
The transparent adhesive tape or a pinworm paddle (supplied by your healthcare provider) is applied to the anal region so it can pick up both eggs and occasionally the adult worms and then analyzed under a microscope. Sometimes it is possible to see the adult worms without a microscope but the eggs are too small and it can only be seen with a microscope.
