Release of teichoic and lipoteichoic acids from 30 different strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae during exposure to ceftriaxone, meropenem, quinupristin/dalfopristin, rifampicin and trovafloxacin.

The release of teichoic acids (TA) and lipoteichoic acids (LTA) from 30 different strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae during exposure to ceftriaxone, meropenem, quinupristin/dalfopristin, rifampicin and trovafloxacin at concentrations of 10 micrograms/ml and of the respective MIC was determined by an enzyme immunoassay. At 10 micrograms/ml the most rapid and intense release was detected during treatment with the beta-lactam antibiotics ceftriaxone and meropenem, the lowest release was seen with rifampicin and quinupristin/dalfopristin. Trovafloxacin delayed the release of TA/LTA. The maximum concentrations of TA/LTA, however, during trovafloxacin treatment were almost as high as those during exposure to ceftriaxone and meropenem. During exposure to the MIC, ceftriaxone, meropenem, rifampicin and trovafloxacin released significantly higher amounts of TA/LTA than during exposure to 10 micrograms/ml (p < 0.01). Only quinupristin/dalfopristin released small amounts of TA/LTA at the low and high concentration. In conclusion, at high concentrations antibiotics that do not affect the bacterial cell wall released less pro-inflammatory compounds from S. pneumoniae than ceftriaxone and meropenem. This may be of value in the treatment of meningitis and sepsis.