• Question: Is it true that you get worms in your stomach when you bite your nails?

    Asked by saira to Aime, Akshat, Diana, Gemma, Judith on 16 Jun 2011.
    • Photo: Gemma Sharp

      Gemma Sharp answered on 16 Jun 2011:

      You can end up with worms in your gastrointestinal tract (stomach, intestines etc) if you manage to swallow their eggs.

      They’re called Thread Worms and they feed on pretty much anything they can find inside you. They lay their eggs just outside the anus, but then the eggs are easily transfered to other surfaces. This is one of the reasons it’s important to wash your hands after going to the loo! They can get under the fingernails, so if you bite your fingernails you might end up swallowing the eggs. The eggs hatch in your small intestine and then the cycle starts again.

      Not very nice to think about! But don’t worry, there are medicines are very effective at killing them. The best way to avoid getting them is to make sure you wash your hands regularly and stick to clean toilets!

    • Photo: Judith McCann

      Judith McCann answered on 16 Jun 2011:

      I think this is a warning to wash your hands! there is nothing particular about nails that would cause you to get worms, but if you’ve recently touched dirty things you shouldn’t put you hands in your mouth without washing them first!

      I used to bite my nails, but working in a lab I have got to be very sure my hands are clean(because they could have chemicals or something nasty on them!)

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