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The study is focused on genetic characterization of the child population of the Orava region, where genetic isolates persisted as long as the middle of this century. Active screening for genetic pathology over a period of 5 years involved examination of 1058 children aged 0-14 years. Genetically determined pathological conditions were diagnosed in 757 children, which represents 1.67% of the child population of this region. Chromosomal aberrations were established in 55 children (0.12%), monogenic diseases in 193 children (0.43%), of these autosomal recessive conditions in 88 children (0.19%), and multifactorially determined conditions in 478 children (1.06%). Focal occurrence of an inherited disease was not recorded. Genetic load of the population studied was found to be comparable to that in panmictic populations. The occurrence of diseases inherited as autosomal recessive traits suggests that the influence of genetic isolates does no longer persist in Orava.