Treatment of purulent meningitis with a new cephalosporin-Rocephin (Ro 13-9904). Clinical, bacteriological and pharmacological observations in 24 cases.

In 21 of the 24 cases the diagnosis of purulent meningitis was confirmed by culturing the causal agent and/or by immunological diagnosis. The daily dosage of Rocephin ranged between 15 and 200 mg/kg administered in 2 i.m. injections. A cure was achieved in cases of meningococcal meningitis (1 case with sequelae: blindness in one eye), in 5 out of 6 cases of Haemophilus influenzae meningitis (1 case with severe neuropsychiatric sequelae), in 3 out of 9 cases of pneumococcal meningitis and in 2 out of 4 cases of enterobacterial meningitis. The tolerance was generally excellent. Sterilisation of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was achieved in all 20 cases of meningitis confirmed by culture. The MIC levels are lower than the lowest CSF peak for Rocephin found in this study. The unusual pharmacological behavior of Rocephin makes it possible to achieve and to maintain for a long time highly satisfactory concentration levels in the CSF. These properties of Rocephin should lift the long-standing objections to the use of cephalosporins for the treatment of purulent meningitis.