Abstract. Aim. Adaptation possibilities of mycobacteria in the conditions of existence in the external environment and habitats of animals and man are studied. Adaptation mechanisms, which have pathogenic mycobacteria, allow them to survive long and circulate in the environment, which leads to special sanitary and epidemiological value of pathogens of tuberculosis. Location. Russia, Dagestan.

Results. Mycobacterium tuberculosis has a high resistance to influence of cold, heat, chemical and physical factors, moisture and light. They carry high and low temperatures, while more than a year pathogenic properties, and even more in the dark and without sunlight. It should be noted that the stability of pathogenic species of mycobacteria in the external environment is relatively lower than that of saprophytes, capable of quickly adapting to the external environment. Raonin’s groups have more widespread in environment, in water, soil, air, plants, and habitats of animals, products of plant and animal origin and their often isolated from clinical samples.

Main conclusions. Environmental conditions define the intensity of habitats of any species of mycobacteria in certain landscapes and their circulation in macroorganism. The impact of the various elements of the environment both in the macro- and microorganisms is a response that was the basis for the development of the doctrine about “limiting factors”. This concept applies not only to the necessary for mycobacteria chemical elements, but also to all the other environmental factors (temperature, humidity, aeration conditions etc). Minimum and maximum intensity factors determine the limits of endurance species. Beyond these limits, due to sharply expressed extreme conditions and is portable microorganism existence of species is not possible. The most favorable for the species optimum intensity of environmental factors, usually occupied a middle position. This provision is significantly narrower than the limits of endurance species. At the same time, the nature and mechanisms of interaction of microorganisms with macroorganism just as diverse and play a decisive role in the life and evolution of many species of bacteria, which is an important environmental factor in determining the many sides of evolutionary changes of humans and animals.