What Is the Genus of a Pinworm?

The pinworm is one of the most common parasitic worms in the United States affecting humans, according to the Centers For Disease Control. Pinworms often infect the intestines of the host organism, although they rarely present serious health problems.

Genus

• Pinworms are a type of nematode (small thin roundworms) belonging to the genus Enterobius. Another name for pinworms is the threadworm or seat worm.

Types

• The two types of known pinworm species are the Enterobius vermicularis and Enterobius anthropopitheci. Vermicularis is found in humans, most often children, and anthropopitheci is found in primates, typically chimpanzees. Both species look similar and have identical life cycles.

Size

• Adult female pinworms are 8 to 13 millimeters long with males being considerably smaller at only 2 to 5 millimeters long. The adult female pinworm is large enough to be seen with the naked eye; males may be harder to spot without a microscope.

Geography/Habitat

• The pinworm is found in humans throughout North America, Western Europe and parts of Africa but is rare in tropical or especially cold climates. The pinworm eggs enter the host through the mouth, typically by unwashed hands that have come into contact with dirt or fecal matter containing the eggs.

Life Cycle

• After being ingested, the eggs hatch and the larvae make their way to the large intestine, where they reach adulthood. Upon reaching maturity, the males and females mate, and the female crawls the length of the intestine and deposits her eggs at the skin around the anal opening, beginning the cycle anew.