Skip to main content
PMC home page
Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy logoLink to Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy
. 1976 Aug;10(2):196–199. doi: 10.1128/aac.10.2.196

In Vitro Effects of Low Concentrations of Penicillin and Sulfadiazine on Streptococcus mutans

H G Weld a,1, H J Sandham a
PMCID: PMC429719  PMID: 791091

Abstract

Investigations were conducted to determine the in vitro effects of low levels of penicillin and sulfadiazine on the growth, plaque formation, and agglutination of Streptococcus mutans and on the synthesis and activity of enzymes synthesizing extracellular polymers. The concentrations tested were equivalent to those expected in the saliva of subjects receiving oral therapy with the agents. Penicillin at 0.5 ng/ml and sulfadiazine at 1 μg/ml substantially inhibited in vitro plaque formation. At these concentrations, sulfadiazine but not penicillin also inhibited growth of the organism. Neither antimicrobial agent affected the agglutination of S. mutans with dextran or the synthesis or activity of enzymes synthesizing extracellular polymers. The effect of sulfadiazine on plaque formation was attributed, at least in part, to the inhibitory action of that agent on S. mutans growth.

Full text

PDF
196

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. BENDER I. B., PRESSMAN R. S., TASHMAN S. G. Studies on excretion of antibiotics in human saliva. I. Penicillin and streptomycin. J Am Dent Assoc. 1953 Feb;46(2):164–170. doi: 10.14219/jada.archive.1953.0018. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Bratthall D. Demonstration of five serological groups of streptococcal strains resembling Streptococcus mutans. Odontol Revy. 1970;21(2):143–152. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Ericsson H. M., Sherris J. C. Antibiotic sensitivity testing. Report of an international collaborative study. Acta Pathol Microbiol Scand B Microbiol Immunol. 1971;217(Suppl):1+–1+. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Gibbons R. J., Depaola P. F., Spinell D. M., Skobe Z. Interdental localization of Streptococcus mutans as related to dental caries experience. Infect Immun. 1974 Mar;9(3):481–488. doi: 10.1128/iai.9.3.481-488.1974. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Gibbons R. J., Fitzgerald R. J. Dextran-induced agglutination of Streptococcus mutans, and its potential role in the formation of microbial dental plaques. J Bacteriol. 1969 May;98(2):341–346. doi: 10.1128/jb.98.2.341-346.1969. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Gibbons R. J., Nygaard M. Synthesis of insoluble dextran and its significance in the formation of gelatinous deposits by plaque-forming streptococci. Arch Oral Biol. 1968 Oct;13(10):1249–1262. doi: 10.1016/0003-9969(68)90081-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Handelman S. L., Mills J. R., Hawes R. R. Caries incidence in subjects receiving long term antibiotic therapy. J Oral Ther Pharmacol. 1966 Mar;2(5):338–345. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. LITTLETON N. W., WHITE C. L. DENTAL FINDINGS FROM A PRELIMINARY STUDY OF CHILDREN RECEIVING EXTENDED ANTIBIOTIC THERAPY. J Am Dent Assoc. 1964 Apr;68:520–525. doi: 10.14219/jada.archive.1964.0111. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. MCCARTHY C. G., WALLMARK G., FINLAND M. In vitro activity of various penicillins. Am J Med Sci. 1961 Feb;241:143–159. doi: 10.1097/00000441-196102000-00001. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. McCabe R. M., Keyes P. H., Howell A., Jr An in vitro method for assessing the plaque forming ability of oral bacteria. Arch Oral Biol. 1967 Dec;12(12):1653–1656. doi: 10.1016/0003-9969(67)90200-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Miller C. H., Kleinman J. L. Effect of microbial interactions on in vitro plaque formation by Streptococcus mutans. J Dent Res. 1974 Mar-Apr;53(2):427–434. doi: 10.1177/00220345740530024201. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Mukasa H., Slade H. D. Mechanism of adherence of Streptococcus mutans to smooth surfaces. II. Nature of the binding site and the adsorption of dextran-levan synthetase enzymes on the cell-wall surface of the streptococcus. Infect Immun. 1974 Feb;9(2):419–429. doi: 10.1128/iai.9.2.419-429.1974. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Perch B., Kjems E., Ravn T. Biochemical and serological properties of Streptococcus mutans from various human and animal sources. Acta Pathol Microbiol Scand B Microbiol Immunol. 1974 Jun;82(3):357–370. doi: 10.1111/j.1699-0463.1974.tb02338.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Spinell D. M., Gibbons R. J. Influence of culture medium on the glucosyl transferase- and dextran-binding capacity of Streptococcus mutans 6715 cells. Infect Immun. 1974 Dec;10(6):1448–1451. doi: 10.1128/iai.10.6.1448-1451.1974. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Weld H. G., Sandham H. J. Effect of long-term therapies with penicillin and sulfadiazine on Streptococcus mutans and lactobaccilli in dental plaque. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 1976 Aug;10(2):200–204. doi: 10.1128/aac.10.2.200. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy are provided here courtesy of American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

RESOURCES