Pneumococcal meningitis

Treatment with antibiotics should be started as soon as possible. Ceftriaxone is one of the most commonly used antibiotics.

If the antibiotic is not working and the health care provider suspects antibiotic resistance, vancomycin or rifampin are used. Sometimes systemic corticosteroids may be used, especially in children.

Early treatment improves the outcome. However, 20% of people who get this disease will die of it and 25 - 50% will have serious long-term brain and nervous system (neurologic) complications.

About half of all patients have long-term complications, such as the following:

• Brain damage
• Buildup of fluid between the skull and brain (subdural effusion)
• Hearing loss
• Hydrocephalus
• Seizures

Call the local emergency number (such as 911) or go to an emergency room if you suspect meningitis in a young child who has the following symptoms:

• Feeding problems
• High-pitched cry
• Irritability
• Persistent unexplained fever

Call the local emergency number if you develop any of the serious symptoms listed above. Meningitis can quickly become a life-threatening illness.

Images

Pneumococci organism

Pneumococcal pneumonia

Previous Section

Meningitis Symptoms

Next Section

Meningitis Prevention

Review Date: 09/15/2010
Reviewed By: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; and Jatin M. Vyas, PhD, MD, Assistant Professor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Assistant in Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)