[Could it be bacterial meningitis?].
Bacterial meningitis remains a dangerous disease with frequent complications despite specific antibiotic therapy and intensive medical supportive treatment. Principal symptoms are headaches, high fever, meningismus and confusion or drowsiness that usually develop within a few hours. The diagnosis is mainly based on the examination of the cerebrospinal fluid and detection of the pathogen in the liquor or blood. Implementation of an early, empirical antibiotic therapy is important for the prognosis; community-acquired meningitides in adults should be treated with ceftriaxone and ampicillin. For infections with meningococci, the public health authorities must be also informed and chemoprophylaxis with rifampicin, ciprofloxacin or ceftriaxone for close contacts should be carried out.
Klein
Matthias
M
Klinik und Poliklinik für Neurologie, Klinikum Grosshadern, LMU München. matthias.klein@med.uni-muenchen.de
Pfister
Hans-Walter
HW
D000328:Adult; D000667:Ampicillin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002443:Ceftriaxone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002939:Ciprofloxacin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017714:Community-Acquired Infections; D003422:Critical Care; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D016920:Meningitis, Bacterial / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D009345:Neisseria meningitidis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D011379:Prognosis; D012293:Rifampin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D002939:Ciprofloxacin; D002443:Ceftriaxone; D000667:Ampicillin; D012293:Rifampin