[Intestinal parasitic infections in children in Niamey (Niger)].

Stools of 1,368 randomly selected children living in Niamey (Niger) were examined using two different parasitologic methods. One or more pathogenic parasites were recovered in 678 children (49.6%). Parasitic infections developed early and increased significantly after the age of two, which is the usual age for weaning. The most common parasitic infections were giardiasis (31.7%) and amebiasis (12.8%). The only commonly recovered helminth was Hymenolepis nana (10.8%). This predominance of intestinal protozoa is typical of Sahel pathology.