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.
Briggs
S
S
Infectious Diseases Unit, Auckland Hospital, Auckland, New Zealand.
Ellis-Pegler
R
R
Roberts
S
S
Thomas
M
M
Woodhouse
A
A
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