INFLUENCE OF DEXAMETHASONE ON EFFICACY OF CEFTRIAXONE AND VANCOMYCIN THERAPY IN EXPERIMENTAL PNEUMOCOCCAL MENINGITIS

Using a rabbit model of meningitis, we sought to determine whether con comitant use of dexamethasone affects the penetration and efficacy of ceftriaxone or vancomycin in cerebrospinal fluid. Rabbits were inocula ted with a penicillin-sensitive strain of Streptococcus pneumoniae and treated with ceftriaxone or vancomycin with or without dexamethasone. In the ceftriaxone-treated groups, no statistically significant diffe rences were seen between the group treated with dexamethasone and that without dexamethasone; however, in the vancomycin-treated groups we f ound statistically significant lower cerebrospinal fluid vancomycin le vels at 2 h in the dexamethasone-treated rabbits and differences in ba cterial killing.