Surveillance on acute diarrhoeal diseases in Jinta County, Wuwei City for two successive years from January 1987 to December 1988 showed that the annual average incidence of diarrhoeal diseases was 0.079-0.124. The total detection rate of the etiologic agent was 58.95%. Bacterial infection was predominant. Ten species of pathogenic bacteria were detected, of which shigella remained the prevalent bacteria among which flexneri appeared as the predominant species after a decline for several years since early 1980s. The percentage of rotavirus was rather low. Diarrhoea was related to multiple factors. Children under 5 years old should be regarded as the target population for the prevention. Early detection of carriers has great significance in the prevention and control of diarrhoea.