Meningitis - Related Resources

Cochrane reviews

There may not be clinically important difference between ceftriaxone or cefotaxime and conventional antibiotics in the treatment of acute bacterial meningitis. Because of changing patterns of bacterial resistance, the use of alternatives to third generation cephalosporins should be restricted to situations where availability or affordability is an issue, and intravenous chloramphenicol should be used in combination with ampicillin Third Generation Cephalosporins Versus Conventional Antibiotics for Treating Acute Bacterial Meningitis.
Corticosteroids should be routinely used in HIV-negative people with tuberculous meningitis to reduce death and disabling residual neurological deficit amongst survivors. There is not enough evidence to support or refute a similar conclusion for those who are HIV positive Corticosteroids for Managing Tuberculous Meningitis.
Pre-hospital antibiotics may decrease mortality in meningococcal disease. Ceftriaxone and long-acting chloramphenicol appear to be equally effective and safe in preventing mortality and morbidity for suspected and confirmed cases Pre-Hospital Antibiotics for Meningococcal Disease.

Logan SA, MacMahon E. Viral meningitis. BMJ 2008 Jan 5;336(7634):36-40. [PubMed]
van de Beek D, de Gans J, Tunkel AR, Wijdicks EF. Community-acquired bacterial meningitis in adults. N Engl J Med 2006 Jan 5;354(1):44-53. [PubMed]
Chaudhuri A, Martinez-Martin P, Kennedy PG, Andrew Seaton R, Portegies P, Bojar M, Steiner I, EFNS Task Force. EFNS guideline on the management of community-acquired bacterial meningitis: report of an EFNS Task Force on acute bacterial meningitis in older children and adults. Eur J Neurol 2008 Jul;15(7):649-59. [PubMed]

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