Acute Childhood Diarrhoea: Microbiological Profile and Antibiotic Use Patterns at Specialist Hospital Gombe, North East Nigeria

Acute diarrhoea remains a leading cause of child mortality in Nigeria, yet irrational antibiotic prescribing for this condition contributes to the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance. This retrospective descriptive study examines the microbiological profile of causative agents and antibiotic prescribing patterns for acute childhood diarrhoea at Specialist Hospital Gombe, Gombe State, North East Nigeria, over a two-year period from 2022 to 2023. Records of 225 children aged zero to 10 years admitted with acute diarrhoea were reviewed. Stool culture results, antibiotic prescriptions, and clinical outcomes were extracted. Bacterial pathogens were isolated in 44.9% of cases, with Escherichia coli (26.7%), Salmonella species (11.6%), and Shigella species (9.3%) predominating. Rotavirus was identified in 21.3% of cases where rapid antigen testing was performed. Antibiotics were prescribed in 78.2% of all diarrhoea cases, including 65.4% of viral cases without bacterial co-infection. Cotrimoxazole and ampicillin were the most commonly prescribed antibiotics, despite emerging resistance patterns in isolates. Oral rehydration therapy was administered in 91.6% of cases. The study identifies significant overuse of antibiotics in paediatric diarrhoea management and highlights the need for evidence-based prescribing guidelines, laboratory capacity strengthening, and clinician sensitisation on antimicrobial stewardship. Keywords: childhood diarrhoea, microbiological profile, antibiotic use, Gombe State, North East Nigeria.