The pinworm test is performed to detect the parasite Enterobius vermicularis's eggs on the perianal area's skin.
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Enterobius vermicularis (pinworms) belongs to the nematode worms and is distributed worldwide in temperate and tropical regions. The adult worms are located in the upper part of the large intestine and are transmitted by the fecal-oral route. Adult females migrate to the perianal area, especially at night, and deposit many eggs.
Pinworm infection is prevalent in young school-aged children of all social classes. Pinworms do not cause significant intestinal disease but may cause irritating itching in the perianal area. More rarely, they can cause vulvovaginitis in young girls and urinary tract infections, while extremely infrequently, they can cause appendicitis, salpingitis, epididymitis, and hepatic granuloma.
Feces are not a suitable specimen for determining pinworms, as only 5-10% of patients with pinworms have eggs in the stool.
Caution! The scotch tape test is no longer performed. Instead, molecular testing for pinworms is performed: Enterobius vermicularis, Molecular Detection
