[Pathogenesis of food poisoning due to enterococci]

The enteropathogenic properties of enterococci having proteolytic characteristics were studied in experiments on isolated loops of the rat and rabbit small intestine. It was shown that Str. faecalis v. liguefaciens (4 strains) and Str. faecalis zymogenes (1 strain) possess enteropathogenic properties. However, the degree of pathogenicity varied, which was confirmed by characteristic macro- and microscopic changes seen in the ligated loops of the small intestine of the experimental animals.