[The antagonistic properties of bacteria isolated from the digestive tract of female mink housed in the area of the Chernobyl Atomic Electric Power Station].

Differences in species composition, number and level of antagonistic activity of bacteria isolated from the digestive tract of Chernobyl female minks of various age and with different immunological state have been established. Prevalence of anaerobes (bifidobacteria) and microaerophils (lactic acid bacteria) with the increase of microorganisms concentration along the channel: stomach, small and large intestine (10(7)-10(10)/g) was found in all the departments of digestive tract of minks. Among the identified lactic-acid bacteria Lactobacillus helveticus (10(7)-10(8)/g) prevailed in the stomach of the studied female minks, L. coryniformis (10(9)-10(10)/g) in the small intestine, L. casei (10(10)/g) in the large one. Antagonistic activity was most expressed in the strains of L. helveticus and L. casei, isolated from the younger (1.5 year-old) minks. Enterococcus faecalis isolated from the stomach of 1.5 year-old female minks was distinguished by the greatest antagonistic activity among identified enterococci. Strains of E. faecium isolated from the thin intestine of the young female minks (1.5 year-old) and from the large intestine of more nature animals (2.5 years) who received thymogen were characterized by the most expressed antibiosis among enterococci isolated bacteria a conclusion was made that the mechanisms of inhibitory effect of the studied microorganisms are underlied by not only their capacity to form organic acids but also by the capacity to produce antibiotic products.