| Properties | Reaction |
| Gram stain | Negative |
| Morphology | Straight rods |
| Motility | + (peritrichous) some non-motile |
| Aerobic and anaerobic growth | + |
| Oxidase | − |
| Catalase | + |
| MacConkey growth | + |
| D-mannitol fermentation | +, generally gas (over 90% of strains) |
| Lactose, 37˚C | Acid +, gas + (over 90% of strains) |
| Lactose, 44˚C | Acid +, gas + (over 90% of strains) |
| D-adonitol | Rarely fermented (over 90% of strains) |
| Inositol | Rarely fermented |
| D-glucose | Acid |
| Indole at 37˚C | Generally produced |
| Indole at 44˚C | Generally produced |
| Methyl red reaction | + (over 90% of strains) |
| Voges-Proskauer reaction | − (over 90% of strains) |
| Urea | No hydrolysis |
| Phenylalanine deamination | − (over 90% of strains) |
| H2S (triple sugar iron) medium | No blackening (over 90% of strains) |
| KCN (potassium cyanide) medium | No growth |
| Gelatin liquefaction | − (over 90% of strains) |
| Glutamine acid decarboxylase | + |
| Lysine decarboxylase | + (75% - 89% of strains) |