| Basic Characteristics | Properties (B. melitensis) |
| Capsule | Negative (-ve) |
| Catalase | Positive(+ve) |
| Flagella | Negative (-ve) |
| Gelatin Hydrolysis | Negative (-ve) |
| Gram Staining | Gram Negative (-ve) |
| H2S | Negative (-ve) |
| Hemolysis | Negative (-ve) |
| Indole | Negative (-ve) |
| Litmus Milk | Negative (-ve) |
| Motility | Negative (-ve) |
| MR (Methyl Red) | Negative (-ve) |
| Nitrate Reduction | Positive(+ve) |
| Oxidase | Positive(+ve) |
| Shape | Coccobacilli, or short rods |
| Spore | Negative (-ve) |
| Urease | Positive(+ve) |
| VP (Voges Proskauer) | Negative (-ve) |
| L-Arabinose | Negative (-ve) |
| Erythritol | Positive(+ve) |
| D-Galactose | Negative (-ve) |
| L- Glucose | Positive(+ve) |
| Oxidation of L- Alanine | Positive (+ve) |
| Oxidation of L-Asparagine | Positive (+ve) |
| Oxidation of L-Glutamic acid | Positive (+ve) |
| D-Ribose | Negative (-ve) |
| D-Xylose | Negative (-ve) |
| Arginine Dehydrolase | Negative (-ve) |
| Citrulline | Negative (-ve) |
| Glycylglycine-b-naphthylamidase | Positive (+ve) |
| Glycine-b-naphthylamidase | Positive (+ve) |
| 3-Indoxyl phosphatase | Negative (-ve) |
| Lysine | Negative (-ve) |
| Ornithine Decarboxylase | Negative (-ve) |
| p-Nitrophenyl-beta-d-galactopyranosidase | Negative (-ve) |
| p-Nitrophenyl-alpha-d-galactopyranosidase | Negative (-ve) |
| p-Nitrophenyl-N-acetyl-b-d-glucosaminidase | Positive (+ve) |
| p-Nitrophenyl-alpha-d-glucopyranosidase | Positive (+ve) |
| p-Nitrophenyl phosphatase | Positive (+ve) |