Antimicrobial agents in the treatment of bacterial meningitis.

The use of antimicrobial agents in the treatment of acute bacterial meningitis has undergone significant changes in recent years. There is a wealth of in vitro and animal model data that support the use of the specific antimicrobial agents in the treatment of bacterial meningitis, although not all regimens have been evaluated in clinical trials. Recent investigations have focused on expanding the potential antimicrobial formulary to manage patients with bacterial meningitis effectively in this era of increasing antimicrobial resistance. Despite these advances, the morbidity and mortality of acute bacterial meningitis remain unacceptably high. The use of adjunctive dexamethasone has been shown to improve morbidity and mortality in patients with bacterial meningitis, although concerns have been raised that dexamethasone may reduce penetration of certain antimicrobial agents into cerebrospinal fluid.