The prevalences of nightblindness and xerophthalmia were assessed in 400 ch
ildren, aged 6-59 months, with acute diarrhoea in a rural community in Bang
ladesh, The prevalences of nightblindness, conjunctival xerosis, and Bitot'
s spot were 7.8%, 9.5%, and 2.7% respectively, Fifty-two percent of the chi
ldren who complained of nightblindness had ocular signs of vitamin A defici
ency compared to 9% of those without nightblindness (p<0.000). The nightbli
ndness was significantly higher among the male children, aged 24-59 months,
who were dysenteric and undernourished, did not consume vitamin A-containi
ng foods daily, and were not breastfed, The coverage of periodic administra
tion of vitamin A capsule was inversely related to the prevalence of nightb
lindness. This finding was determined by logistic regression analysis of da
ta indicating that a combination of male sex, history of dysentery, absence
of periodic administration of vitamin A treatment, and daily intake of vit
amin A-containing foods gave the best-fitted model with an overalll predict
ion of 92.5% of being nightblind. The findings of the study suggest that mo
thers should be educated to observe their diarrhoeal children about develop
ment of nightblindness and to seek treatment for it. The locally-relevant n
utrition education should also be offered to them.