To investigate the infection status of Enterobius vermicularis the author tried surveys by scotch-tape anal swap on school-children and household environmental factors considered to have influences on the infection were analyzed by an inquiry method with questionnaire. The survey was carried out in October 1986 and 1988 in urban and suburban areas and the results could summarized as follow: The egg positive rate in anal swab was 16.0 per cent (male 14.5 per cent, female 17.6 per cent) out of 2,156 school-children and higher in female group. The egg positive rate in suburban school-children (17.5 per cent out of 1,305 children of two primary school)was a little higher than that of urban school-children(13.6 per cent out of 851 children of one primary schools). The questionnaire analysis on environmental factors showed some significant relations between the egg positive rate and such factors as the number of brothers and sisters, householder's occupation, and avalibility of childroom or bathroom. The result indicate that, although enterobiasis in school-children has shown decreasing tendency in Korea, it is still considerably high in some urban and suburban areas.
parasitology-helminth-nematoda ; Enterobius vermicularis ; enterobiasis ; epidemiology

To evaluate the efficacy of anthelmintic treatment of Enterobius vermicularis in highly endemic population, total 82 children in two orphanage institutes were divided into 4 groups and treated with placebo, 5 mg/kg of pyrvinium pamoate, 100 mg of mebendazole and 10 mg/kg of pyrantel pamoate respectively. Total 4 anal swabs were taken from each child before treatment and the even distributions of positive rate and consecutive results between groups were considered. Follow-up swabs were taken 8 times up to the 40th day after treatment. After remarkable and significant reduction of positive rates up to 19-27th day after treatment in respective groups, the remarkable egg positive conversions were observed 3-4 weeks after treatment. The positive conversion was the earliest and the most remarkable in pyrantel-treated children and the slowest and the least remarkable in mebendazole-treated cases. Also found was that the figures of negative conversion were different with statistical significance between two categories of cases, consecutively positive and alternately positive cases of pre-treatment swabs. This means that the conventional indices of cure rate in E. vermicularis infection may be variable by the selection of subjected cases. Above results mean that the spectrum of susceptible pinworms according to the developmental stages are different between currently available drugs, and the ability to remove pinworms completely in certain developmental stage are also different between chemotherapeutics. These results suggest the need of interval chemotherapy of Enterobius vermicularis infection in heavily infected cases of in highly endemic population to achieve the complete eradication of whole range of pinworms in intestine.
parasitology-helminth-nematoda ; Enterobius vermicularis ; chemotherapy- mebendazole ; pyrantel pamoate ; enterobiasis

When an antipinworm drug was evaluated in human being, the results are still variable according to authors. Among the various factors involved in these variable results, the selection of subjects must be one of them. In the past, in evaluating a drug, the subjects were simply anal swab positive cases in a population. By that kind of selection method, especially in low endemic population, anal swab positives spontaneously turned to egg negatives at random. Moreover, the time, frequency of negative conversion cannot be predicted. By the results, the cure rates obtained from such ill-defined subjects are variable according to the subjected population. Another problem is that evaluation should represent the efficacy in heavily infected cases. To reinforce and overcome such shortcomings, the evaluator shoud select the cases wha are infected with whole developmental stages of worm. And the evaluator should have a method selecting such ideal cases only with anal swabs. To find out such method the results of anal swabs of long-term follow-up without any antipinworm treatment were reevaluated. In 41 children from 6 orphanages of different endemicity, swabs were taken for 8 or 21 times during 36 or 91 days. The positive rate of follow-up swabs was compared with that of already obtained in 4 preliminary swabs. And we collected other data on the combination of 4 anal swab results in different endemicity. The results are as follows: The positive rate of follow-up swabs was significantly different by the consecutiveness of egg positivity in preliminary swabs as well as the endemicity of subjected population. The consecutively positive cases in higher endemicity over 60% showed the highest, and the least variable positive rate in follow-up swabs. The observed frequency of consecutively positive/consecutively negative combination was always higher than the expected one obtained by binomial distribution equation. This indicates that individual hygiene and previous infection are important factors in determining the actual occurrence of subsequent reinfection. Summarizing these results, the subjects for drug evaluation should be those of consecutively positive cases in population over 60% endemicity. These subjects have the lowest chance of spontaneous negative conversion at random period of follow-up swabs. Eligible cases for such criteria would be sufficiently secured in highly endemic population.
parasitology-helminth-nematoda ; Enterobius vermicularis-chemotherapy ; enterobiasis ; epidemiology ; diagnosis

To observe the effect of egg-free state in an institute on the endemicity of Enterobius vermicularis, the theoretical condition was made by repeated chemotherapy. Mebendazole or pyrantel pamoate were administered to all orphans and their staffs concomitantly for four times, each 20-day interval. In two low endemic orphanages, in which mean egg positive rates were 18 % and 39 % respectively, the pinworm infection was controlled up to 6-7 months period. And other two highly endemic orphanages, with 70% and 55% of egg positive rates, were controlled up to 90th day after the first treatment. After then up to 7 months, the reinfection occurred, but the endemicity was brought down to about 20 % of egg positivity.
parasitology-helminth-nematoda ; Enterobius vermicularis-chemotherapy ; enterobiasis ; mebendazole ; pyrantel pamoate

This study was undertaken to observe the fluctuation pattern of E.P.G. (eggs per gram of feces) according to the number of infected worms and developmental status of Ascaris lumbricoides. The cases were selected from 2,109 inhabitants of Hwasung Gun, Kyunggi Do, Korea, who had received pyrantel treatment in dose of 10 mg/kg during April 1977-May 1980 and who were cooperative enough to collect whole-day stool specimens for 2 days. Among them, 602 cases who had been infected with 1-5 worms were subjected to analysis. Egg examination was undertaken by means of cellophane thick smear technique and the amount of produced eggs was checked by Stoll's egg counting technique. The Ascaris worms were collected from stool specimens, counted in number in each case, and each worm was measured by length. The results could be summarized as follows: According to the increase of worm burden per case from l to 5, the egg detection rate increased from 33.4 percent to 95.7 percent. And the same pattern was observed when the only burden was considered. There were ample variations in the individual E.P.G. counts even among the cases with same burden, although the mean E.P.G. counts among the cases were quite proportionately increased from 842 to 3,467 according to the number of female worms, 1-4. However, from the distribution pattern of the number of each grade of E.P.G. count, it was revealed that the lower the number of females the more cases were with low grade of E.P.G. It was observed that the eggs could be detected after the female worm grew longer than 12.6 cm and the amount of eggs increased until the worm became about 25.0 cm, where a plateau was made in E.P.G. 1,300-1,400, and decreased significantly after 27.5 cm. And yet, wide variations in E.P.G. counts were noted even among the worms of similar growth. Accordingly, the E.P.G. value had better be used as a useful index to estimate the intensity of Ascaris infection and to compare the intensity between two communities, rather than be used to estimate the individual worm burden.
parasitology-helminth-nematoda ; Enterobius vermicularis-enterobiasis ; chemotherapy ; pyrantel pamoate ; biology ; morphology

When enterobiasis cases were treated with anthelmintics only for one time, the interval to recurrence was variable by different drugs used. And this phenomenon is supposedly connected with biological or developmental cycle of the worm and the consequent efficacy of the different anthelmintics. This study was undertaken to confirm this fact by studying the expelled worms morphologically to correlate the anthelmintics efficacy and stage of worm development in Enterobius vermicularis. A total of 131 children in 3 orphanages was examined by 4 anal swabs (mean positive rate, 80%). They were randomized into 5 experimental groups. Each group was treated with placebo, mebendazole, pyrantel, pyrvinium , and piperazine (70 mg/kg, single dose) respectively. After treatment, all stool were collected for 3 days to get the expelled Enterobius. A total of 6,165 pinworms was studied under the microscope. The sex was discriminated and the length was individually measured. A number of male pinworms was collected in all groups. Females of 2-11 mm in length were also collected in 5 groups. However, significantly larger number of short females was observed in mebendazole group compared with other groups. Twenty-one days after the first treatment, all children were again treated with mebendazole. Once more stool were examined. A total of 1,853 worms was collected. In mebendazole group, there were no females longer than 8.74 mm in the second treatment. In pyrvinium group, 8.31mm in lenght was the longest for female. However in control, pyrantel and piperazine groups, females of 2-11 mm in length were collected. From above results, one could conclude that the removing ability of mebendazole and pyrvinium was satisfactory for the worms in the early stage of development in Enterobius. Pyrantel and single dose of piperazine showed less effective in worm reduction ability especially on those at the early stages.
parasitology-helminth-nematoda ; Enterobius vermicularis-enterobiasis ; chemotherapy ; mebendazole ; pyrantel ; pyrvinium ; piperazine ; morphology

To relate the results of repeatedly undertaken anal swabs to worm burden of Enterobius vermicularis in a highly endemic community, 193 rural schoolchildren, divided into 4 groups, were examined daily by Scotch-tape anal swab method, 1, 2, 3 and 4 times respectively. All of the schoolchildren were treated with pyrantel pamoate 10 mg/kg body weight exactly after the last anal swab in each group disregard the results. And all of the expelled E. vermicularis were collected and counted. It was found that 68.8% of total anal swabs were positive and the collection rate of E. vermicularis was 90.7% with average worm burden, 17.0, in surveyed children. From the analyses of the obtained data, following three inferences were derived. The consecutive postive findings of anal swabs could not reduce the possibilities of detecting light worm burden cases when the anal swabs were undertaken daily up to 4 times. The possibilities of detecting the heavy infection cases were found in consecutively positive categories of anal swab and the presence of negative result(s) of anal swab during the consecutive examinations did denote the reduced possibilities of detection heavy infection. The consecutive negative findings in anal swab have tendenicies reducing the possibilities of detecting heavy worm burden cases. Above results were highly suggestive that the processes of infection loss in E. vermicularis were taken place continuously, allowing daily small allotments of discharge of fully gravid worms in heavy infection cases and massive discharge in a very short period of time is practically rare event.
parasitology-helminth-nematoda-Enterobius vermicularis ; pyrantel pamoate-chemotherapy ; enterobiasis ; worm burdern ; pyrantel pamoate

There is often the risk of confusing pollen grains with helminth eggs from archaeological sites. Thousands to millions of pollen grains can be recovered from archaeological burial sediments that represent past ritual, medication and environment. Some pollen grain types can be similar to parasite eggs. Such a confusion is represented by the diagnosis of enterobiasis in ancient Iran. The authors of this study confused a joint-pine (Ephedra spp.) pollen grain with a pinworm egg. This paper describes the specific Ephedra pollen morphology that can be confused with pinworm eggs.
Adolescent ; Archaeology ; Burial ; Diagnosis ; Eggs ; Enterobiasis ; Enterobius ; Ephedra ; Female ; Helminths ; Humans ; Iran ; Ovum ; Parasites ; Pollen

The prevalence of Enterobius vermicularis infection among preschool children was reported to be low based on a 5-year screening program in Taipei City, Taiwan. The Taipei City government intended to terminate the E. vermicularis screening program among preschool children. Thus, we were entrusted with confirming whether pinworm infections among preschool children in Taipei City had truly declined. From each of 12 administrative districts 2-3 kindergartens were randomly selected for investigation. In total, 4,349 children were examined, of which 2,537 were boys and 1,812 were girls. The cellophane tape adhered to a glass slide was used, and all examinations were done by certified medical technologists. Results indicated that the overall prevalence rate of pinworm infections was 0.62% (27/4,349). Although the infection rate was higher among boys (0.67%, 17/2,537) than in girls (0.55%, 10/1,812), no significant difference was found (chi2 = 0.399, P = 0.62). According to the administrative district, the infection rate ranged from no positive cases of E. vermicularis infection in the Xinyi, Zhongzhen, and Wanhua Districts (0%; 0/299, 0/165, and 0/358, respectively), to 0.26% (1/131) in Songshan District, with the highest rate of 1.88% (7/373) in Wenshan District. Because the overall infection rate (0.62%, 27/4,349) in the present study was unchanged compared to that (0.40%, 197/49,541) previously reported in 2005, we propose that regular pinworm screening and treatment programs should be continued in some parts of Taipei City.
Animals ; Child Day Care Centers ; Child, Preschool ; Enterobiasis/*epidemiology ; Enterobius/*isolation & purification ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Microscopy/methods ; Prevalence ; Taiwan/epidemiology

BACKGROUND: An Epidemiological study was undertaken to evaluate the prevalence of E. vermicularis infestation among children in kindergartens. METHODS: A total of 247 cellotape anal swab specimens from kindergarten children in Inchon were examined for E. vermicularis eggs. Each specimen was collected in the morning. RESULTS: Out of 247 specimens from two kindergartens in Inchon, E. vermicularis eggs were detected in 168 specimens, the egg detection rate being 68.0%. The egg detection rates in boys and girls were 63.9% out of 133 children and 72.8% out of 114 children, respectively. The egg detection rate in girls was higher than that of boys. The egg detection rates by age group was 65.5%(age 3), S7.4%(age 4), 72.0%(age 5) and 75.4%(age 6), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Enterobiasis is a cosmopolitan infection. Surveys for children of kindergartens indicate that E.vermicularis is probably the most widely distributed human helminth, its incidence varing from 59.2% to 73.8% in groups studied since pinworm infection is frequently a familial problem that infestation of the household frequently results in reinfection. Careful washing of hands and cleansing of fingernails before meals and after use of the toilet are the most practical measures, all member of family should be treated simultaneously when practicable.
Child* ; Eggs ; Enterobiasis ; Enterobius* ; Epidemiologic Studies ; Family Characteristics ; Female ; Hand ; Helminths ; Humans ; Incheon ; Incidence ; Meals ; Nails ; Ovum ; Prevalence