# Comprehensive Characterization of Intestinal Parasites in Infants and Their Impact on Diarrhea

> **NIH NIH R21** · UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND BALTIMORE · 2020 · $193,125

## Abstract

Diarrheal diseases are responsible for more than two billion cases every year and constitute one of the main
global health challenges. The disease is particularly common in developing countries, where it disproportionally
affects young children who, on average, get diarrhea three times a year. Diarrhea results from an infection in the
intestinal tract, which can be caused by a variety of bacteria, viruses and eukaryotic parasites. In most studies,
less than half of the diarrhea cases can be attributed to a known pathogen, partially due to the limitations of
current detection approaches that i) only test a handful of known pathogens and/or ii) fail to differentiate among
closely related species with different pathogenicity.
Here, we propose to apply a novel genomic assay developed in our laboratory to screen 3,600 stool samples
collected by the GEMS study in four countries from infants with diarrhea and matched controls. Our assay
enables detection and characterization of all eukaryotic parasites present in a sample, regardless of whether
they have been previously characterized (and may therefore reveal novel pathogens). It also provides sufficient
resolution to differentiate closely-related organisms that are typically lumped together. Combined with a detailed
characterization of the gut bacterial communities, our studies will provide a comprehensive perspective on the
contribution of eukaryotic parasites to intestinal dysbiosis and diarrhea, and may highlight novel therapeutic
avenues to fight this disease.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9820713
- **Project number:** 5R21AI141859-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND BALTIMORE
- **Principal Investigator:** David Serre
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $193,125
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-11-08 → 2021-10-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9820713

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9820713, Comprehensive Characterization of Intestinal Parasites in Infants and Their Impact on Diarrhea (5R21AI141859-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9820713. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*