An RN at an elementary school notices a second grade female scratching and pulling at her pants. The student complains that her buttocks itch. Upon further assessment, the patient reports that the itching worsened in the morning hours. Since another child in the student's class was recently diagnosed with Enterobius vermicularis, or pinworm infection, the RN. contacts the girl's mother and recommends follow up with her pediatrician.
-The RN educates the student's mother that anal scratching,followed by putting the fingers in the mouth,may allow the pinworm infection to persist in the host.Which of the following terms best describes this phenomenon?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Reinfection refers to the process of getting infected with the same organism again after treatment. In this case, the RN is warning the mother that the child's anal scratching and finger-to-mouth behavior may cause her to become reinfected with pinworms. This is because the pinworm eggs can be transferred from the anus to the fingers and then to the mouth, where they can be swallowed and cause reinfection. None of the other answer choices accurately describe this phenomenon.

An RN at an Elementary School Notices a Second Grade