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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (April 10, 2019)
16 Wednesday, April 10, 2019 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon Pinworms make their unpleasant rounds across Sisters By T. Lee Brown Correspondent The common intestinal parasite known as pinworm or threadworm is affecting some Sisters residents. A pharma- cist at Bi-Mart said Friday that the store9s inventory of pinworm medicine had sold out. Symptoms include itching of the anal or vaginal area; insomnia, irritability, and restlessness; and intermittent abdominal pain and nausea, according to the Mayo Clinic. Some infected people have no symptoms at all. The culprit is a white or yellowish roundworm called Enterobius vermicularis that9s about as long as a staple. Pinworms dwell in the colon and rectum of humans, infect- ing 20 percent or more of the population. They are most common among children and people who live in institutions 4 along with their caregivers and household members. While the infected per- son sleeps, female pinworms leave the intestine through the anus and lay eggs on the sur- rounding skin, causing itching and discomfort. While pinworms are not generally considered a seri- ous health problem, there is a slight risk of more harmful infection such as vaginitis or endometritis, according to the Mayo Clinic. Local nurse Beth Hummel, R.N., said she would worry about pinworms <getting up into the fallopian tubes, because of the damage they can do, and how uncomfort- able for that little girl 4 or a grown girl, anyone with the plumbing.= In rare cases, pinworms may also cause urinary tract infection (UTI). The eggs live up to three weeks outside the body 4 on skin, bedding, toilets, and toys. People usually become infected via the <oral-fecal route,= where the sticky eggs are transferred via skin or fingernails to food, linens, or other surfaces. Unknown to many medical practitioners, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Mayo Clinic now report that pin- worm eggs can become air- borne. Inhalation may cause infection. <I would love to see how often that actually happens,= said Andy Mohler, a pharma- cist at BiMart. <Don9t shake your sheets out,= said Hummel. <Oh, mercy.= Emily Livengood, N.D., of Baker Family Naturopathic advised that patients receive a The season is underway... definitive positive diagnosis of pinworm before attempting treatment. Diagnosis involves obtain- ing samples from the rectal area. A doctor may diagnose them by sight. Patients may have to collect a sample them- selves using a strip of tape and send to a laboratory. Albendazole or Mebenda- zole were formerly the go-to prescription drugs for treating pinworms. Some doctors still prescribe them, not realizing that the drugs have skyrock- eted in cost. A recent prescription cost $800 at a Central Oregon pharmacy. The corporations Amedra Pharmaceuticals and its acquirer Impax Laboratories created a monopoly on pre- scription pinworm medica- tion in the U.S., according to Consumer Reports. They launched a $400 chewable pill and took the inexpensive ver- sion off the market. There is an over-the- counter alternative. Reese9s Pinworm Medicine (Pyrantel Pamoate Suspension) costs $20-25. Andy Mohler, a pharmacist at Bi-Mart in Sisters, said it is now back in stock. <It seems to cycle,= Mohler said of pinworm med- icine purchases at the store. <We get a rush for a while, then it disappears. We get some on the shelf and they sit for a very long time. Then there9s a rush, then it disap- pears again.= Mohler said he didn9t know if <everyone overre- acts= to sudden outbreaks, <or if they9re actually being tested and showing posi- tive. It can become a panic situation with families.= Killing the worms them- selves is a small part of treat- ing pinworm. The tenacious eggs, viable for three weeks, are unwittingly spread around by humans. Avoiding reinfection takes weeks of intensive clean- ing and preventive measures (see sidebar, <Preventing Pinworm Infection,= page 17). Many patients follow up with a second dose two weeks later, followed by three more weeks of intensive cleaning and hygiene. Low-Cost Dog & Cat Vaccination & Microchip Clinic Saturday, April 20 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Questions? Call 541-699-9149. Hosted by Sisters Feed & Supply and Sunshine Vet Services 102 E. Main Ave. | 541-549-4151 ADVERTISING in The Nugget WORKS! The essential way to reach Sisters Country PHOTO BY JERRY BALDOCK Payden Petterson delivers a pitch against Philomath. Not Using Your RV? Want it Sold? CONSIGNMENTS WANTED! 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