Diagnosis and current treatment of pneumococcal meningitis

Bacterial meningitis is characterized by the high rates of mortality and disability. Streptococcus pneumoniae is one of the most common causative agent of purulent meningitis in children and adults. Early initiation of antimicrobial therapy improves the results of treatment of bacterial meningitis. However, the efficacy of antibiotic therapy decreases due to the development of drug resistance of streptococci. Imple mentation of new approaches to treatment, including neuroprotective therapy, may improve the prognosis in patients with pneumococcal meningitis. In this article, we review the epidemiology of bacterial meningitis, diagnosis, and current antibacterial treatment.

Key words

Bacterial meningitis, pneumococcal meningitis, treatment, antibiotic therapy, neuroprotective agents.