microbial pathogens associated with acute childhood diarrhoea in kumasi ghana background diarrhoeal diseases are among the most frequent causes of morbidity and mortality in children worldwide especially in subsaharan africa this casecontrol study was conducted to investigate the bacterial viral and parasitic pathogens associated with acute diarrhoea among children attending three health facilities in kumasi ghanamethods stool specimens were collected from 240 children under 5 years of age visiting hospitals in kumasi ghana due to acute diarrhoea and from 107 healthy controls of similar age both intestinal and malaria parasites were diagnosed by microscopy whereas rota and adenoviruses were identified by stool antigen immunochromatograhic testing bacterial enteropathogens were detected by conventional culture techniquesresults of all subjects 23 66 were positive for malaria parasitaemia 139 401 had at least one bacterial agent in their stool and 25 72 had ova or parasites subjects infected with malaria had the highest odds of having diarrhoea 120 95 ci 156 9235 followed by those with rotaviruses 44 95 ci 205 947 and bacterial infection 499 95 ci 145 1717conclusion in conclusion this study was unique as it looked at the three groups of pathogens parasites viruses and bacteria that cause acute diarrhoea in children in the kumasi metropolis of ghana this study has shown for the first time since 2004 that malaria parasitaemia rotavirus and bacterial infections still remain common pathogens associated with acute childhood diarrhoea in the kumasi metropolis of ghana