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Initial stages of corrosion of mild steel induced by Klebsiela rhinoscleromatis BO2 were studied in various media. The effect of the microorganism was detected 8–10 h after inoculation. The number of viable cells was virtually unchanged over one month in all media, but the corrosive activity of the strain decreased. The corrosive activity of microorganisms can be determined by spectrophotometry even after incubation for only 24 h. At a low level of organic substrate, even strong colonization with microorganisms does not inevitably result in significant damage to metals.