From 1981 to 1990, stool samples from 6403 gastroenteritis cases were examined for the presence of campylobacters as well as Salmonella, Shigella, Aeromonas species and Yersinia enterocolitica. The percentages of isolation were the following: campylobacters 10.8 (86.1% of isolates were C. jejuni and 13.9% were C. coli), Salmonella spp. 8.4, Aeromonas spp 1.4, Yersinia enterocolitica 0.3. Shigella spp. were isolated only occasionally. Predominant biotypes of campylobacters were C. jejuni I (69.5%), C. jejuni II (29.5%) and C. coli I (92.7%). The six most common LIO serogroups-36; 4; 1; 28.53; 11; 2-accounted for 50% ca. of typable strains. Campylobacters are the most common etiological agent of bacterial enteritis in children living in this area of Tuscany. The species and serogroup determination can be useful from an epidemiological point of view.