How do people get pinworms?
Adult pinworms live in the large intestines. When ready to lay eggs, the female crawls out of the anus and lays the eggs on the perianal (that is, the area around the anus) skin. A single female can produce more than 10,000 eggs. The eggs are spread when the person scratches that area and transfers the eggs into the mouth or to another person. Contaminated bed linens, food, clothing, and other articles can indirectly transfer the eggs. Eggs can live in an indoor environment for about two weeks.
