Bacterial meningitis

Abstract

Bacterial meningitis has a lengthy differential diagnosis, including numerous infectious disease and noninfectious disease mimics. Clinical manifestations, patient age, and presence of comorbid conditions can provide diagnostic clues. Clinical features can also help in predicting disease outcome. Cerebrospinal fluid examination findings, including Gram stain and culture results, are important for accurate diagnosis. When bacterial meningitis is suspected, early empiric therapy is called for; selection of antibiotic agents for empiric therapy must take epidemiologic trends into consideration. Choice of specific drugs for confirmed bacterial meningitis and length of treatment are determined by the causative organism. Use of adjunctive corticosteroids may improve outcomes.