Strategies and new developments in the management of bacterial meningitis.
The principles of antimicrobial therapy for acute bacterial meningitis include use of agents that penetrate well into cerebrospinal fluid and attain appropriate cerebrospinal fluid concentrations, are active in purulent cerebrospinal fluid, and are bactericidal against the infecting pathogen. Recommendations for treatment of bacterial meningitis have undergone significant evolution in recent years, given the emergence of pneumococcal strains that are resistant to penicillin. Clinical experience with use of newer agents is limited to case reports, but these agents may be necessary to consider in patients who are failing standard therapy.
Miranda
Justine
J
Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Baystate Medical Center, 759 Chestnut Street, Springfield, MA 01199, USA.
Tunkel
Allan R
AR
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D001812:Blood-Brain Barrier / Q000378:metabolism; D002555:Cerebrospinal Fluid / Q000382:microbiology; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D006801:Humans; D016920:Meningitis, Bacterial / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000188:drug therapy*
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents