[Legionellosis in Slovakia]

According the European Working Group on Legionella Infections the disease continues to occur sporadically or in small outbreaks, usually in connections with the survival of legionellae in hot water supply systems. It appears mostly as a nosocomial infection or as a travel associated disease. The introduction of laboratory diagnostic methods allowed us to approach this problem in our country. Detection of anti-legionella antibodies in the serum was performed by means of microagglutination and indirect immunofluorescence reaction. During 1985-1994 twenty-one sporadic cases, mostly pneumonias, could be diagnosed. As etiologic agents L. pneumophila 4, 12, 3, 2 and 1 besides legionella-like organisms L. bozemanii and less often L. micdadei and L. dumoffii were determined. In contrast to the general believe that mostly L. pneumophila 1 is involved in human cases, in our group of patients other serologic groups of L. p. and other species of legionellas were involved. The limited number of investigations does not allow us a real picture on the occurrence of legionelloses and their etiological structure in our country. It is expect that the widening of diagnostic examinations and an increased interest of clinicians to clarify etiologically acute suspect infections will contribute to a better knowledge of the medical importance of this disease. (Tab. 1, Ref. 15.).