185 Antibiotic Recommendations
Acute Bacterial Meningitis
Neonates (<1 month old): Combination treatment with ampicillin (200 mg/kg/day IV divided every 6 hours) and cefotaxime (300 mg/kg/day IV divided every 6 hours) targets the most common pathogens, which are group B Streptococcus, E. coli, and Listeria species.
Age 1 month to 50 years: Ceftriaxone (adults: 2 g IV every 12 hours; children: 100 mg/kg/day [maximum, 2 g] IV divided every 12 hours) with vancomycin (adults: 15-20 mg/kg [maximum, 2 g] IV every 12 hours; children: 15 mg/kg [maximum, 2 g] IV every 6 hours) provides coverage against S. pneumoniae (including penicillin-resistant strains), Neisseria meningitidis, and Haemophilus influenzae (although now rare because of the Hib vaccine).