Was investigated the presence of L. monocytogenes in 20 samples from surface soils, from different ecological areas of Rio de Janeiro State (urban, pasture, forest and plantation areas). The bacteriological analysis revealed 32 samples showing more incidence in the non cultivated soil which represented 56.25% of the isolations: the urban area contributed with 25.0%. In the survey destached the serotypes L1/2b (46.87%), L4b (25.0%) and L1/2a (18.75%) as more frequent although the incidence was heterogeneous in relation to the analysed areas. Amongst the several studied aspects must be emphasized that 50.0% of the samples showed to be pathogenic due to the production of ceratoconjuntivites in guinea pigs which is very much related with hemolitic activity "in vitro". Therefore the virulent and non virulent strains of l. monocytogenes can survive under the conditions imposed by the soil being probably the primary motive of this contamination the stools eliminated by different species of harbouring animals, confirmed by the presence of fecal coliforms in the analised areas.