Release of lipoteichoic acid from Staphylococcus aureus by treatment with cefmetazole and other beta-lactam antibiotics.

The effect of cefmetazole on the growth together with the release of cellular lipoteichoic acid from cefazolin-resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus was compared with that of cefazolin, cefotiam, cefoxitin and cefuroxime. Bacteriolytic actions were measured by turbidity and bactericidal actions were followed by viable cell count. Release of cellular lipoteichoic acid was measured by the radioactivity in the supernatant of the cultures. Cefmetazole exerted more potent effects on the bacterial growth and induced more marked release of cellular lipoteichoic acid from resistant strains as compared with other beta-lactams.