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Sodium, potassium and chloride stool content was studied in 107 children aged 1 to 32 months (11 +/- 8 months) presenting with acute diarrhea related to a rotavirus infection (34 cases), to an invasive pathogen (Salmonella or Shigella 14 cases, E. coli 4 cases), or of non-identified etiology (65 cases). The therapeutic protocol was the same in all cases: rehydration for the first 24 hours, progressive realimentation from the second or third day, no drugs being given. An average of 4 stools were analysed for each child (range 2-14), the fecal samples being collected over 2 to 4 consecutive days. Na+ and K+ (n = 366) were assayed by flame photometry and chloride (n = 88) by continuous colorimetry. In the stool samples taken as a whole, without taking into account etiology or day of sampling, the electrolyte concentration (mean +/- SD) was 42 +/- 20 mmol/l for Na+ (range 4-166), 51 +/- 24 mmol/l for K+ (range 5-195), and 24 +/- 11 mmol/l for Cl- (range 4-93). No significant variation of these values was observed according to etiology, duration, severity of the diarrheal syndrome, oral rehydration or nutrition.