Antimicrobial Therapy for Bacterial Meningitis

The goal of empiric therapy is to provide broad coverage for the suspected organisms with antibiotics that penetrate the CSF. In meningitis, this consists of third-generation cephalosporins, cepteroxone, or cepotaxine. Once the pathogen is determined and sensitivities reported, organism-directed treatment is recommended. If you're interested in learning how to perform a lumber puncture, you can find a link to the video at the New England Journal of Medicine Online.