Enterobius vermicularis

(pin worm)

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 Classification
• Phylum : Aschelminthes
• Class : Nematoda
• Subclass : Secernentea (Phasmidia)
• Superfamily : Oxyuroidea
• Family : Oxyuridae
• Genus : Enterobius
• Species : Enterobius vermicularis

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 Distribution
• Worldwide
• E. vermicularis is one of the most common
childhood helminth infections in the
developed world
• This infection more frequent in family or
community and in crowded conditions such as
ophanages, hospital, school, etc.

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 Definitive Host
• Also called Oxyuris vermicularis
• Man are considered to be the only hosts of E.
vermicularis and causing Enterobiasis

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 Morphology
Adult worm
• Small and white
• Three lips surounding the mouth
• Double bulb oesophagus
• Cuticular elevation forms “cephalic alae”
• Habitat is in the large intestine (caecum and
appendix), sometimes in ascending colon and
ileum
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 Morphology

Bulb oesophagus
Cephalic alae

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 Morphology
Male
• Size 100 µm - 141 µm
• The posterior ends strongly curled ventrally and has
papilla
Female
• Size 8 mm – 13 mm
• Pointed tail end
• Vulva opens between the first and second thirds of the
body
• When gravid, uterus filled with thousands of eggs
(ovipar)

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 Morphology

Pointed tail end Curled tail end

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 Morphology
Eggs
• Size 50 µm - 60 µm x 20 µm - 30 µm
• Asymmetrical; elongated oval and flattened on
one side
• Transparent eggshell
• Contains larvae
• Obtained from anal swab

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Morphology

Flattened side

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 Life Cycle &
Transmission

Infective stage:
Embryonated eggs
Diagnostic stage:
Eggs obtained from anal swab

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 Life Cycle & Transmission
1. Eggs on perianal folds. Larvae inside the eggs,
matur within 4-6 hours at body temperature.
2. Infection occurs by :
• Autoinfection : swallowed by hands that
have scratched the perianal area
• Retroinfection : the migration of newly
hatched larvae from the anal skin back
into the rectum

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 Life Cycle & Transmission
• Some small number of eggs may become
airborne and inhaled.
• Handling of contaminated surfaces
environment (e.g., clothes, bed linen,
curtains, carpeting
3. Following ingestion of infective eggs, the
larvae hatch in the small intestine and
become adult
4. The adults establish themselves in the colon
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 Life Cycle & Transmission
5. Time interval from ingestion of infective eggs to
oviposition by the adult females is about one
month. The life span of the adults is about two
months.
• Males die soon after copulation
• Gravid females migrate nocturnally outside
the anus and oviposit while crawling on the
skin of the perianal area .
• One worm may deposit 4600-16000 eggs.
• Females die soon after oviposition

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