Gates Open Research Open Peer Review Any reports and responses or comments on the article can be found at the end of the article. RESEARCH NOTE Molecular detection of intestinal helminths and protozoa among young children in Dosso Region, Niger [version 1; peer review: awaiting peer review] Kristen Aiemjoy , Ahmed M. Arzika , Catherine Cook , Elodie Lebas , Nils Pilotte , Jessica R. Grant , Steven A. Williams , Thomas M. Lietman , Jeremy D. Keenan 3 Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and Geographic Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, 94305, USA The Carter Center, Niamey, Niger Francis I. Proctor Foundation for Research in Ophthalmology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, 94143, USA Department of Biological Sciences, Smith College, Northampton, Massachusetts, USA Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA Abstract Eukaryotic parasites are significant contributors to childhood illness in Niger. While helminthiases have received national attention through mass deworming efforts, the epidemiology of intestinal protozoa in Niger remains underexamined. This study employed real-time PCR diagnostics to describe the prevalence of two schistosomes, four soil-transmitted helminths, and one protozoan parasite in Boboye Department, Dosso Region. Prevalence was assessed using bulk stool specimens collected from a population-based sample of 86 children residing in 9 communities. Anthropometric measurements were used to calculate child growth z -scores and stool consistency was graded. Helminths were absent from the study population, with the exception of a single Schistosoma haematobium infection (1/86; 1.2%). was the only protozoa present, Giardia duodenalis detected in 65% (56/86) of children. Prevalence of peaked in G. duodenalis 2-year-olds with 88% (15/17) positivity. The population was generally undernourished, though growth indices did not differ significantly between children with and without infection. G. duodenalis Keywords Schistosoma, soil-transmitted helminths, protozoa, molecular diagnostics 1 2 3 3 4,5 4 4,5 3 3 1 2 3 4 5 Reviewer Status AWAITING PEER REVIEW 23 Apr 2020, :38 First published: 4 https://doi.org/10.12688/gatesopenres.13124.1 23 Apr 2020, :38 Latest published: 4 https://doi.org/10.12688/gatesopenres.13124.1 v1 Page 1 of 6 Gates Open Research 2020, 4:38 Last updated: 20 MAY 2020