[AEROMONAS BACTERIA ISOLATED FROM BITHYNIIDAE MOLLUSKS AND THEIR HABITATS: SPECIES COMPOSITION AND BIOLOGICAL PROPERTIES. COMMUNICATION 1].

The purpose of this investigation was to study the species composition and biological properties of Aeromonas bacteria isolated from Bithyniidae mollusks and their habitat (a water reservoir). The Bithyniidae mollusks and water from their habitat were the material to be studied. A total of 176 Aeromonas strains were isolated from the mollusks and water. A. veronii, A. hydrophila, and A. ichthiosmia were most common in the mollusks and A. veronii and A. ichthiosmia were in the water. All the strains isolated had hemolytic activity and no lysozyme or plasma coagulase activity. The magnitude of lecithinase and antilysozymic activities and biofilm formation of the Aeromonas bacteria varied with the isolation source of their strains.