Acquired and native resistance of Staphylococcus aureus to cephalexin and other beta-lactam antibiotics.

Staphylococcus aureus cells that are initially susceptible to cephalexin can be induced to acquire intrinsic resistance to cephalexin in comparatively few steps. Concomitantly, resistance to cephalothin, oxacillin, and dicloxacillin increases. By population analysis, there is heteroresistance to cephalexin in some strains of S. aureus. Heterogeneity in colonial morphology on prolonged incubation in the presence of subinhibitory concentrations of cephalexin may constitute an expression of such heteroresistance.