RESUMO
Most cases of diarrhea in children occur due to infectious agents that are transmitted faeco-orally. Diarrhea may follow bacterial, viral, protozoal infections of the intestine, and also biochemical. To study the main enterpathogens causing diarrhea, the faeces of 150 children less than 6 years old from both sexes were analyzed. Microbiological analysis was carried out on these samples to identify which intestinal pathogens were present. Of the samples studied 129 cases [86%] were pathogen positive. Co-infection with more than one agent was detected in 44 cases [29.3%] of all patients. The most common pathogen isolated was E.coli detected in 78 cases [52%] with predominance of serotype O119 isolates [44.4%], followed by O111 [26.6%]. The second frequent one is rotavirus, it was detected in 39 cases [26%]. Other pathogens that were detected include: Shigella 9: cases [6%], Salmonella one case [0.66%], Campylobacter sp. 9 cases [6%], Cryptosporidium sp. 4 cases [2%], Giardia lamblia 17 cases [11.3%]. Neither Entamoeba histolytica nor Schistosoma mansoni was detected in any of the children studied. We concluded that bacteria were the most frequent pathogens detected in acute diarrhea, among which E. coli was highly predominant and the majority of E.coli strains belong to EPEC varieties. Rotavirus was found in a great number of diarrheal cases, often associated with bacteria, efforts to prevent transmission of E.coli. and rotavirus to young children should be a public health priority. We suggest the introduction of rotavirus diagnostic tests in microbiological examination of diarrheic stool of children below 6 years of children. Protozoa showed reduced importance