title: A review of the treatment of bacterial meningitis.
abstract: This is review of our experience in the treatment of meningitis carried out at the Naval Medical Research Unit No. 3 (NAMRU-3), Cairo, Egypt since 1967. We have demonstrated that the serum and cerebrospinal fluid concentrations of ampicillin and its efficacy when used in the treatment of meningitis are comparable whether they are administered intravenously or intramuscularly. The third generation cephalosporin ceftriaxone was found to be very safe and effective when administered intramuscularly once a day in the treatment of the different types of acute bacterial meningitis. Aztreonam given intramuscularly was successful in the treatment of Gram-negative meningitis caused by multi-resistant organisms. The fatality rates and morbidity were significantly reduced in patients with meningitis when dexamethasone was given in conjunction with antibacterial chemotherapy.
authors.affiliation: US Naval Medical Research Unit No. 3, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: N I
authors.initials: NI
authors.lastname: Girgis
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Kilpatrick
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Farid
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Sippel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000667:Ampicillin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002443:Ceftriaxone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002701:Chloramphenicol / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004534:Egypt; D006801:Humans; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D016920:Meningitis, Bacterial / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000401:mortality; D010406:Penicillins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013411:Sulfadiazine / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D010406:Penicillins; D013411:Sulfadiazine; D002701:Chloramphenicol; D002443:Ceftriaxone; D000667:Ampicillin; D003907:Dexamethasone