In order to study the occurrence of bacteraemia, 634 consecutively febrile children aged less than or equal to 14 years with Initial rectal temperature or 39 degrees C and above were evaluated. The overall frequency of bacteraemia was 7.7% (49 cases). Salmonellae, Streptococci and Staphylococci accounted for 57%, 16% and 14% respectively. No statistically significant difference was noted between cases and controls with regard to the nutritional status mean age in months +/- SD (55.9 +/- 49.1 vs 39 +/- 41), and haemoglobin levels in g/dl +/- SD (11.1 +/- 1.5 vs 11.1 +/- 1.5) (P greater than 0.05). None of the parameters studied was a strong predictor of bacteraemia and systemic bacterial infection did not strongly correlate with the magnitude of the clinical illness.