title: Evaluation of meropenem alone and combined with rifampin in the guinea pig model of pneumococcal meningitis.
abstract: Meropenem is a broad-spectrum carbapenem antibiotic that is highly active against the pathogens causing meningitis. The aims of this study was to determine the efficacies of meropenem alone and combined with rifampin against two Streptococcus pneumoniae strains with different susceptibility to beta-lactams using the guinea pig meningitis model and compare them with the standard ceftriaxone plus vancomycin therapy. All treatments except rifampin were bactericidal from 6 h. The addition of rifampin did not improve the activity of meropenem alone. Our results provide good evidence of the efficacy of meropenem in the treatment of penicillin- and cephalosporin-susceptible and -resistant pneumococcal meningitis similar to that of ceftriaxone plus vancomycin, suggesting that meropenem might be a good option in the management of this infection.
authors.affiliation: Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Force
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Taberner
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cabellos
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ribes
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Doménech
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tubau
authors.forename: P F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Viladrich
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gudiol
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002443:Ceftriaxone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006801:Humans; D008586:Meningitis, Pneumococcal / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000077731:Meropenem; D050296:Microbial Viability / Q000187:drug effects; D012293:Rifampin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000187:drug effects*; D013845:Thienamycins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014640:Vancomycin / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D013845:Thienamycins; D014640:Vancomycin; D002443:Ceftriaxone; D000077731:Meropenem; D012293:Rifampin