To know the hospital prevalence and clinical features of acute diarrhoea and describe the common bacterial pathogens isolated in these cases of diarrhoea in children. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross sectional study was carried out in children with acute diarrhea between 1month to 12 years of age at Shree Siddhartha Medical College Hospital, Tumkur from November 2007 to August 2009.After detailed history and examination, stool samples were collected and subjected to microscopic examination and culture and sensitivity. The data thus collected was analysed. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Acute diarrhea accounted for 10.12 % (95% CI 8.98, 11.26) percent of total admissions to pediatric ward. The prevalence of diarrhea peaks in children aged 7-24 months (the usual weaning period) and then decreases with increasing age. The analysis of clinical presentation revealed that vomiting and fever were frequent accompaniments of diarrhoea. Artificially fed children were affected more often than exclusively breast-fed ones. Varying grades of PEM was present in majority of the study cases. Most of the cases had some dehydration. In majority of study cases enteropathogenic bacteria were isolated; among which E. coli was the commonest. Most of the isolates were sensitive to Gentamicin and Amikacin. Bacteriological study and sensitivity pattern helps us to identify the most prevalent organism in the locality and to select the most appropriate drug and thus reducing the cost of treatment. Appropriate fluid and antibiotic management resulted in prompt recovery. KEY WORDS-Acute diarrhoea, Stool culture, Dehydration. INTRODUCTION: Diarrhoea ranks among top three killers of pediatric subjects in developing world. Globally around one billion episodes of illness and 3-5million deaths occur as a result of diarrheal disease each year 1 .Eight out of ten of these deaths occur in first two years of life 2. In developing countries, on an average every child suffers3.3 episodes of diarrhoea per year, but in some areas the average exceeds nine episodes per year 3. In India, children under 5 years of age