The mainstay of treatment is antiparasitic medication such as pyrantel pamoate, mebendazole or albendazole. As more than one household member is likely to be infected, treatment of the entire household is often recommended. In addition, treatment is often repeated after 2 weeks.

General measures to control infestation are washing hands before meals and after use of the toilet, keeping fingernails short and clean, laundering all bed linen twice weekly, and cleaning toilet seats daily.

Avoid scratching the infected area (around the anus) as this contaminates the fingers and everything else that they subsequently touch. Keep hands and fingers away from the nose and mouth unless they are freshly washed. Carry out these measures while family members are treated with medication.

• salpingitis
• vaginitis
• reinfestation