Treatments for Meningitis

Treatment list for Meningitis: The list of treatments mentioned in various sources for Meningitis includes the following list. Always seek professional medical advice about any treatment or change in treatment plans.

• Emergency hospitalization - may be required; some types are potentially deadly.
• Intravenous antibiotics - for bacterial meningitis, or if it is possible.
• Intravenous sulphonamides
• Antiviral drugs - for viral meningitis
  • Intravenous acyclovir
• Antifungal drugs - for fungal meningitis
  • Amphotericin B
• Fluids - for dehydration
• Treatments for electrolyte imbalances
• Anti-fever medications

Treatment of Meningitis: medical news summaries: The following medical news items are relevant to treatment of Meningitis:

• Meningitis misdiagnosis often fatal

Treatments of Meningitis discussion: Antiviral medications may be prescribed for herpes encephalitis or other severe viral infections. Antibiotics may be prescribed for bacterial infections. Anticonvulsants are used to prevent or treat seizures. Corticosteroids are used to reduce brain swelling and inflammation. Sedatives may be needed for irritability or restlessness. Over-the-counter medications may be used for fever and headache. Individuals with encephalitis or bacterial meningitis are usually hospitalized for treatment. ¹

Bacterial meningitis can be treated with a number of effective antibiotics. It is important, however, that treatment be started early in the course of the disease. Appropriate antibiotic treatment of most common types of bacterial meningitis should reduce the risk of dying from meningitis to below 15%, although the risk is higher among the elderly.²

People who qualify as close contacts of a person with meningitis caused by N. meningitidis should receive antibiotics to prevent them from getting the disease. Antibiotics for contacts of a person with Hib meningitis disease are no longer recommended if all contacts 4 years of age or younger are fully vaccinated against Hib disease (see below).²

Footnotes:
1. excerpt from NINDS Encephalitis and Meningitis Information Page: NINDS
2. excerpt from Meningococcal Disease (General): DBMD

Last revision: June 2, 2003

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