DIRECTLY - through contact with an infected person INDIRECTLY - through touching a surface such as a tap, doorhandle, or item such as a pencil, linen or furnishings that have been contaminated by an infected person. Threadworm Lifecycle You can be infected with threadworm no matter how clean or careful you are. It takes one month on average for a swallowed egg to grow into an adult worm & reproduce. Adult worms survive for about two months. Click here to see a flow diagram explaining how threadworm is spread. http:// Most threadworm infections are light. Often there are no symptoms, but the most common signs are: Itchy bottom (especially at night) Restless sleep Irritability Loss of appetite For definitive proof of threadworm infection, look for the following: Worms on the outside surface of bowel motions - these resemble fine pieces of cotton thread, up to 1.5cm long. For further information, including pictures of actual threadworm, see Facts about Worms. Moving worms or eggs around the anus - about an hour after the child has gone to bed. Using a torch, worms should be visible to the naked eye, however a useful way of detecting eggs is the "sticky tape test". Press a piece of double sided tape against the anus & remove - threadworm eggs will appear as tiny white specs on the tape. www.combantrin.com.au/htm/threadworm.htm