title: Flucloxacillin treatment of Staphylococcus aureus meningitis.
abstract: In this paper, we aimed to evaluate the efficacy of flucloxacillin treatment of meningitis caused by methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus. We identified 33 patients with meningitis due to S. aureus; eight had community-acquired meningitis and 25 had neurosurgical meningitis. Six of the eight patients with community-acquired meningitis were cured. Eighteen of the 22 patients treated with flucloxacillin were cured without relapse (86%, 95%CI 65-97%) and their cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cultures were sterile after a median of 3 days of treatment. The cure rate for 12 patients who also received an additional antibiotic at the outset of treatment was 75% (95%CI 43-95%). This was not different to the cure rate for the ten patients who received flucloxacillin alone 90% (95%CI 56-100%). We conclude that flucloxacillin is an effective treatment for meningitis caused by S. aureus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Disease, Level 6 Support Building, Auckland City Hospital, Park Road, Grafton, Auckland, 1023, New Zealand. sritchie@adhb.govt.nz
authors.forename: S R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Ritchie
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rupali
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Thomas
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017714:Community-Acquired Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D005436:Floxacillin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016920:Meningitis, Bacterial / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D005436:Floxacillin