You may have seen him before, but Fred Worm is here to help reduce the stigma still associated with threadworms.
He is the friendly face of Threadworm Action Week, the campaign sponsored by Pripsen aims to raise awareness with a selection of educational resources about this important issue.
Fred's Threadworm Facts
- Threadworms, or pinworms, (Enterobius vermicularis) look like white cotton threads. The female is about 10mm long, and the male is about 3mm long
- They are caught by swallowing the eggs, which then hatch in the intestine and quickly develop into adult worms
- Adult threadworms have a short, stout body with a pointed tail and three lips
- Male threadworms die soon after copulation
- Threadworm eggs are so small they cannot be seen by the naked eye
- Eggs can survive for up to 2 weeks on clothing, bedding and carpets
Download our Threadworm Factfile here!
