Three days of intravenous benzyl penicillin treatment of meningococcal disease in adults
Abstract
New Zealand has experienced an epidemic of predominantly serogroup B meningococcal disease during the past decade. In a prospective study, we treated adults (age, >15 years) with meningococcal disease with intravenous benzyl penicillin (12 MU [7.2 g] per day) for 3 days. Sixty-one adults with suspected meningococcal disease were consecutively admitted during the 33-month period; 3 patients were excluded. The 58 patients had a mean age (+/- standard deviation [SD]) of 27.9+/-14.5 years (median, 21 years; range, 15-70 years). Forty-four patients had confirmed and 14 patients had probable meningococcal disease. Fifty-seven patients received 12 MU (7.2 g) and 1 received 8 MU (4.8 g) of benzyl penicillin per day. Thirteen patients received additional antibiotics within the first 24 h because of diagnostic uncertainties. Patients received a mean (+/-SD) of 3.0+/-0.5 days of treatment. No patients relapsed. Five patients died. All but 1 death occurred during benzyl penicillin treatment, and the only posttreatment death was not due to meningococcal disease. Three days of intravenous benzyl penicillin is sufficient treatment for adults with meningococcal disease. The usual recommendations for duration of treatment are excessive.
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The duration of antibiotics in adults is based largely on expert opinion and is dependent on the organism isolated and clinical response.
“Therefore, the duration of antibiotics in adults is based largely on expert opinion and is dependent on the organism isolated and clinical response (Table 3).”
From Community-acquired acute bacterial meningitis in adults: a clinical update (2019) · cites this paper as [47]
A study on IMD showed 3 days of benzylpenicillin treatment was sufficient.
“A study on IMD showed 3 days of benzylpenicillin treatment was sufficient.47”
From Community-acquired acute bacterial meningitis in adults: a clinical update (2019) · cites this paper as [47]
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- Authors
- Ellis-Pegler, R., Galler, L., Roberts, S., Thomas, M., & Woodhouse, A.
- Affiliations
- Auckland District Health Board (NZ)
- Corresponding author
- Ellis-Pegler, R.
- ORCID
- Ellis-Pegler, R.
- Venue
- Clinical Infectious Diseases
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Published
- 2003-09-01
- Volume
- 37
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 658-662
- ISSN
- 1058-4838 (ISSN-L)
- 1537-6591
- OpenAlex
- W2136440024
- Cited by
- 35
- References
- 41
- Citations by year
- 2024: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 1 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 2 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 1 · 2012: 2
- FWCI
- 1.57
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Clinical Infectious Diseases (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Microbiology › Bacterial Infections and Vaccines
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Clinical Biochemistry › Bacterial Identification and Susceptibility Testing
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Antibiotics Pharmacokinetics and Efficacy
- Keywords
- meningococcal disease, penicillin G, intravenous antibiotics, treatment duration, serogroup B meningococcal disease, adults, antibiotic resistance
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Drug Administration Schedule, Female, Humans, Infusions, Intravenous, Male, Meningococcal Infections, Microbial Sensitivity Tests, Middle Aged, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Neisseria meningitidis, New Zealand, Penicillin G
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