Meningitis Treatment

Initial treatment

Meningitis is potentially life-threatening and has a high mortality rate if untreated;

Steroids

Adjuvant treatment with corticosteroids (usually dexamethasone) reduces rates of mortality, severe hearing loss and neurological damage in adolescents and adults from high income countries which have low rates of HIV. The likely mechanism is suppression of overactive inflammation. Professional guidelines therefore recommend the commencement of dexamethasone or a similar corticosteroid just before the first dose of antibiotics is given, and continued for four days. Even in high-income countries, the benefit of corticosteroids is only seen when they are given prior to the first dose of antibiotics, and is greatest in cases of ''H. influenzae'' meningitis, the incidence of which has decreased dramatically since the introduction of the Hib vaccine. Thus, corticosteroids are recommended in the treatment of pediatric meningitis if the cause is ''H. influenzae'' and only if given prior to the first dose of antibiotics, whereas other uses are controversial. Fungal meningitis, such as cryptococcal meningitis, is treated with long courses of highly dosed antifungals, such as amphotericin B and flucytosine.

Further Reading

• What is Meningitis?
• Meningitis Symptoms
• Meningitis Causes
• Meningitis Mechanism
• Meningitis Diagnosis
• Meningitis Prevention
• Meningitis Prognosis
• History of Meningitis

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