Nematode - Enterobius vermicularis
Enterobius vermicularis
Life cycle:
- Eggs are ingested
- Larvae hatch in intestines
- Adults develop in colon
- Females travel to perianal region, lay fertilized eggs in skin folds (usually at night)
- Person scratches, transfers eggs to new surfaces, self.
- Some eggs may even hatch prior to transfer and autoinfect the host by moving to rectum, colon.
Clinical:
- Most commonly infects children.
- Adult females travel to the perianal region and lay eggs in the skin folds; this most often takes place during the nighttime.
- When individuals scratch the area, they pick up eggs on their hands and then transfer them to others via direct contact or fomites.
- A form of autoinfection occurs when eggs hatch prior to transfer and new larvae travel to the rectum.
- Diagnosis is often via "tape test": apply clear tape to perianal region; upon removal, eggs will be stuck to tape and visible.