326 samples of diarrheal feces obtained from children whose ages ranged from zero to 5 years, admitted in two rehydration hospitals in the city of Recife, Pernambuco, were analyzed. feces were placed in Cary-Blair medium (4ºC) for shipment to the laboratory. There was no difference in the rate of bacteria isolation if the samples were analyzed within the period from 3 to 7 days of collection. 19.02% pf the analyzed samples were positives for at least one of the searched bacteria, 26 Salmonella belonging to 3 species, 21 classic enteropathogenic E. cli, O invasive E. cli, 10 Shigella belonging to 3 serotypes and 1 Yersinia enterocolitica were found.
enteropathogenic bacteria; children diarrhea; Recife, Brasil