Short course intravenous benzylpenicillin treatment of adults with meningococcal disease.
BACKGROUND
Short-course treatment of meningococcal disease (including meningitis) with 4-5 days of an i.v. beta-lactam is of proven efficacy. Since April 1998, all adult patients with meningococcal disease admitted to Auckland Hospital were prospectively treated with 3 days of i.v. benzylpenicillin.


OBJECTIVE
To assess the clinical features, laboratory findings, disease complications and outcome of patients with meningococcal disease prospectively treated with 3 days of i.v. benzylpenicillin.


METHODS
A retrospective chart review of all adult patients with meningococcal disease admitted to Auckland Hospital from April 1998 to December 2002 was conducted.


RESULTS
Ninety patients with definite (n = 72) or -probable (n = 16) meningococcal disease were admitted during the study period. Two were excluded on the basis of treatment duration. The remaining 88 patients received a mean +/- standard deviation duration of treatment of 3.1 +/- 0.5 days (excluding those who died while receiving treatment). Six patients (7%) died, four of whom while on treatment. There were no relapses.


CONCLUSIONS
Three days of i.v. benzylpenicillin for the treatment of adults with meningococcal disease is effective.
Infectious Diseases Unit, Auckland Hospital, Auckland, New Zealand.
S
S
Briggs
R
R
Ellis-Pegler
S
S
Roberts
M
M
Thomas
A
A
Woodhouse
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D008585:Meningitis, Meningococcal / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality; D008589:Meningococcal Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D008875:Middle Aged; D009520:New Zealand; D010400:Penicillin G / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D011336:Probability; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D010400:Penicillin G