Pinworm Tape Test: How to Do It at Home

A pinworm tape test checks for pinworm eggs by pressing the sticky side of clear tape against the skin around the anus first thing in the morning, before washing or using the toilet. The tape is then sealed and given to a clinician or lab, who looks at it under a microscope, because the eggs are too small to judge reliably by eye.

The CDC calls the tape test the most common way to diagnose pinworm. This page walks through how to do it at home, why the timing matters, what you can and cannot see yourself, and what the results mean. It is general education, not a diagnosis, so follow any instructions your own clinician or lab gives you.

Why the test uses tape, not a stool sample

Pinworms live in the intestine. While an infected person sleeps, female pinworms leave through the anus and lay their eggs on the surrounding skin, according to the CDC. That is what causes the itching, and it is also why the eggs are found on the skin rather than in the stool.

The CDC notes that clinicians generally do not use stool samples, urine samples or swabs to look for pinworm, because those samples usually don't contain enough worms or eggs to detect easily. There is also no blood test for pinworm. That makes the tape test different from the stool test for parasites used for roundworm, hookworm and whipworm.

How to do a pinworm tape test at home

Your clinician or lab may give you a kit or a slide with its own instructions, and you should follow those first. The general steps described by the CDC and MedlinePlus are:

1. Do it first thing in the morning. Test right after waking, before the person washes, bathes, uses the toilet or gets dressed. The eggs are laid overnight, and washing or wiping can remove them.
2. Use clear tape. MedlinePlus describes a short strip of clear cellophane tape, unless your kit includes its own.
3. Press the sticky side firmly against the skin around the anus for a few seconds, then lift it off. The eggs stick to the tape.
4. Transfer it if you were given a slide. If a glass slide was provided, lay the tape on the clear part of the slide, sticky side down.
5. Seal it. Put the tape or slide in a sealed container, a zip-top bag or the specimen container you were given.
6. Wash your hands well. Don't touch your face while doing the test, and scrub your hands and under your nails with soap and warm water afterward.
7. Get it to your clinician or lab as they directed, labeled with the date.

The CDC suggests repeating the test three mornings in a row, and MedlinePlus notes that testing on 3 separate days improves the chance of finding eggs. One clear tape does not rule pinworm out, which is why the test is repeated.

Some clinicians provide a commercial "paddle" style collection kit instead of loose tape. The CDC says to follow the manufacturer's instructions carefully if you are given one.

Doing it on yourself as an adult

The test is easiest when someone else does it, which is why it is usually described for children. Adults can do it on themselves, but a partner or family member can make it simpler. The steps and the timing are the same.

What to look for, and what you can't see

You usually can't read a tape test yourself. Pinworm eggs are tiny, and the CDC describes them as appearing on the tape under a microscope, which is why the tape goes to a clinician or lab. A blank-looking tape at home does not mean the test is negative.

What you may be able to see without a microscope is an adult worm. The CDC describes pinworms as small, thin and white, about the size of a staple. MedlinePlus and the CDC both describe a second check: shining a flashlight on the skin around the anus 2 to 3 hours after the person falls asleep, when worms may be visible on the skin, clothes or bedding. Seeing a worm is useful information to share with your clinician, but it does not replace the tape test. If you saw something in the toilet instead, our guide to white worms in stool explains what it may be.

A clinician may also check samples from under the fingernails, since people with pinworm often scratch and pick up eggs.

What the results mean

• Eggs or worms found: MedlinePlus says this means the person has a pinworm infection. Talk with a clinician about treatment for the person and the household. Our page on untreated pinworms explains what can happen if it is left alone.
• No eggs on one tape: pinworm is not ruled out. Repeat the test on the mornings your clinician asks for, often 3 in a row.
• No eggs after several tapes, but the itching continues: pinworm is less likely, and a clinician can look for other causes.

Because pinworm spreads so easily, the CDC notes it often affects more than one person in a household, and MedlinePlus says that when medicine is needed, everyone in the household usually takes it. Ask your clinician whether others in your home should be tested or treated at the same time.

If the tape tests are negative and you still itch, other causes are worth checking. Our page on an itchy anus at night compares pinworm with hemorrhoids, irritation, yeast and other common causes.

Is the test safe? Does it hurt?

MedlinePlus says no special preparation is needed and there are no risks with this test. The skin may feel slightly irritated from the tape. The main precaution is hygiene: CDC guidance is to avoid touching your face during the test and to wash your hands thoroughly afterward, because pinworm eggs can survive on objects for 2 to 3 weeks if they are not cleaned.

When to see a clinician in person

Get care in person rather than online if:

• The person who may have pinworm is a child, or is pregnant or breastfeeding
• There is blood from the rectum, a fever, or severe or worsening belly pain
• There is vaginal itching, discharge or irritation, which the CDC notes pinworms occasionally cause
• The skin around the anus is red, swollen or broken from scratching, which can lead to a bacterial skin infection

Getting a prescription online after a positive test

If a clinician or lab has confirmed pinworm, or a household member has been diagnosed and you have the same symptoms, a licensed provider can review a written health assessment through Get It Prescribed and decide whether mebendazole is appropriate for you. Pinworm is one of the labeled uses for mebendazole. There is a one-time $50 consultation fee, and mebendazole costs $3.50 per capsule, with the quantity decided by the prescriber. The service is available in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, and some states require a live phone or video visit. How it works shows each step. A prescription is never guaranteed, and the service is for adults only.

The mebendazole dispensed through Get It Prescribed is a compounded preparation made by a licensed compounding pharmacy for an individual patient. Compounded preparations are not FDA-approved, and the FDA does not review them for safety, effectiveness or quality. They are not generics of, or substitutes for, the brand-name product.

For the wider picture, including how adults catch pinworm and the household steps that help, see our guide to pinworm treatment for adults.

Related questions

How do you do a pinworm tape test at home?

First thing in the morning, before washing or using the toilet, press the sticky side of clear tape firmly against the skin around the anus for a few seconds. Seal the tape (on a slide, if you were given one) in a bag or container, wash your hands well, and take it to your clinician or lab. The CDC suggests repeating it three mornings in a row.

Can you see pinworm eggs on tape without a microscope?

Not reliably. Pinworm eggs are tiny, and the CDC describes them as appearing on the tape under a microscope, which is why the tape is checked by a clinician or lab. You may be able to see an adult worm, which is small, white and thread-like, on the skin around the anus a few hours after falling asleep.

What is the best time to do a pinworm tape test?

Right after waking up, before the person bathes, uses the toilet or gets dressed. Female pinworms lay their eggs on the skin overnight, and washing or wiping can remove them before the test.

How many times should you do a pinworm tape test?

The CDC suggests three mornings in a row, and MedlinePlus notes that testing on 3 separate days improves the chance of finding eggs. One negative tape does not rule out pinworm.

Can a stool test detect pinworms?

Usually not. The CDC notes that stool samples generally don't contain enough pinworm eggs to detect easily, because the eggs are laid on the skin around the anus. The tape test is the usual test, and there is no blood test for pinworm.

Sources

• CDC: Diagnosing Pinworms — tape test steps, timing, three mornings in a row, paddle kits and hand hygiene.
• CDC: About Pinworm Infection — how pinworm spreads, symptoms, household infection and how long eggs survive on objects.
• CDC: Clinical Overview of Pinworm Infection — why stool, urine and swab samples are not generally used, and that there is no blood test.
• MedlinePlus: Pinworm test — how the tape test is done, testing on 3 separate days, results and risks.
• MedlinePlus: Pinworms — overview of pinworm infection, diagnosis with clear tape, and household treatment.
• DailyMed: mebendazole chewable tablet prescribing information — labeled uses, including pinworm.
• FDA: Compounding and the FDA — Questions and Answers — what compounded preparations are and how they are regulated.