Characteristics of listeria strains, isolated from micromammalia in Bulgaria.

: 56 Listeria strains isolated from the intestine contents of 13 species of micromammalia in Bulgaria were studied. 10 of the strains belong to the serovars 1/2a, 4A, 4b and 5 of Listeria monocytogenes and 44 of the strains belong to 10 antigenic variants of Listeria innocua. According to their characteristics these strains could hardly cause diseases in humans or domestic animals. Two strains have antigenic formulae O-V, VII, XIV and O-V, XIV and cannot be included in the existing classification. Prevalent are the strains antigen O-XV. They are more often isolated from synanthropic rodents. The hemolytic properties of the studied strains have the best correlation with the pathogenicity. The decomposition of rhamnose and xylose and the production of lysozyme could be a suitable basis for their classification in biotypes.