Antibiotic induced meningitis.

Abstract

Three patients with antibiotic induced meningitis, one following penicillin with seven episodes, are reported on--the first well documented description of penicillin induced meningitis. In this patient episodes of headache and nuchal rigidity appeared with and without CSF pleocytosis. Two patients had a total of five episodes of antibiotic induced meningitis after trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazole (co-trimoxazole) administration. The features common to all three patients were myalgia, confusion and low CSF glucose. CSF analysis was not a reliable method to differentiate antibiotic induced meningitis from partially treated bacterial meningitis.