[Antibiotherapy as first choice in infectious meningitis].

The choice of antibiotics in bacterial meningitis must integrate several parameters. i) The bacterial epidemiology of community acquired meningitis: Haemophilus influenzae (Hi) Neisseria meningitidis (Nm), Streptococcus pneumoniae (Sp) represents more than 95% of cases; ii) The increase of antibiotic bacterial resistance, particularly preoccupying for Sp; iii) The microbiological properties and pharmacokinetics of antibiotics, especially their penetration in CSF: the concentrations achieved must be several times higher than the MBC. In fact, CSF is not favourable to the antibiotic activity; iv) The results of clinical comparative trials; v) The contribution of animal models to the knowledge of meningitis physiopathology. Third generation cephalosporins (cefotaxime, ceftriaxone) satisfy this objective for Hi, Nm, and penicillin sensitive strains of Sp. For penicillin resistant Sp, no treatment can achieve antibiotic CSF concentrations higher than ten times the MBC. An increase in dosage of cephalosporins, the use of an other regimen (Vancomycin or imipenem) and antibiotic association (rifamycin, fosfomycin) are needed.