Evaluation of anti-pneumococcal capsular antibodies as adjunctive therapy in experimental pneumococcal meningitis.
OBJECTIVE
Bacteraemia concomitant with meningitis has been shown to greatly affect outcome. Consequently, the efficacy of serotype-specific anti-pneumococcal antiserum (APAS) was investigated in a rat model of pneumococcal meningitis.


METHODS
Rats were infected with Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype 3. All rats received ceftriaxone starting 26 h post-infection. APAS was administered either at the time of infection or 26 h post-infection and effects were compared with rats treated with antibiotics only.


CONCLUSIONS
A significant clinical benefit was found when APAS was given at the time of infection whereas no effect was found when administered 26 h after infection. This work indicates that the clinical value of using APAS in pneumococcal meningitis may be limited.
Brandt
Christian T
CT
National Center for Antimicrobials and Infection Control, Statens Serum Institut, Artillerivej 5, 2300 Copenhagen S, Denmark. ctb@ssi.dk
Frimodt-Møller
Niels
N
Lundgren
Jens D
JD
Pedersen
Michael
M
Skovsted
Ian C
IC
Rowland
Ian J
IJ
Østergaard
Christian
C
D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016667:Bacterial Capsules / Q000276:immunology*; D002443:Ceftriaxone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D007116:Immunization, Passive; D008586:Meningitis, Pneumococcal / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*; D009043:Motor Activity; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000276:immunology*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013997:Time Factors
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D002443:Ceftriaxone