title: [Treatment of acute bacterial meningitis].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Acute bacterial meningitis requires immediate antimicrobial therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Guidelines to antimicrobial treatment of children and adults with acute bacterial meningitis are presented.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The most common agents causing acute bacterial meningitis are Streptococcus agalactiae in children less than one month of age, and Streptococcus pneumoniae and Neisseria meningitidis in individuals more than one month of age. If the causative bacterial agent is not known, children below one month of age should be given ampicillin and gentamicin, whereas older children and adults should be given benzylpenicillin in combination with either cefotaxime or ceftriaxone. We suggest treatment with specific antibiotic regimens in cases of known aetiology.
authors.affiliation: Infeksjonsmedisinsk seksjon Medisinsk avdeling Haukeland Sykehus 5021 Bergen. steinar.skrede@haukeland.no
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Skrede
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sjursen
authors.forename: C O
authors.initials: CO
authors.lastname: Solberg
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002648:Child; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D016920:Meningitis, Bacterial / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D008585:Meningitis, Meningococcal / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control; D008586:Meningitis, Pneumococcal / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control; D022401:Meningococcal Vaccines / Q000008:administration & dosage; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D022401:Meningococcal Vaccines