title: Bacterial meningitis: causes for concern. The Research Committee of the BSSI.
abstract: The case notes of 305 patients admitted to hospitals in the U.K. with a diagnosis of bacterial meningitis were studied retrospectively and several items of concern emerged. These included: no antibiotics given to patients (82.6%) pre-admission and blood cultures and throat swabs were not obtained routinely. From the figures presented lumbar puncture appeared to be justified in patients without contraindications. About half the patients with a rash would have remained undiagnosed without a lumbar puncture even if allowance was made for those who did not have a blood culture.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001769:Blood / Q000382:microbiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D015600:Glasgow Coma Scale; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D016920:Meningitis, Bacterial / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D008583:Meningitis, Haemophilus / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D008585:Meningitis, Meningococcal / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents