Ceftriaxone as effective as long-acting chloramphenicol in short-course treatment of meningococcal meningitis during epidemics: a randomised non-inferiority study.

N. Nathan (1) , T. Borel (1) , A. Djibo (2) , D. Evans (1) , S. Djibo (3) , J. F. Corty (4) , M. Guillerm (4) , K. P. Alberti (1) , L. Pinoges (1) , P. J. Guerin (1) , D. Legros (1)

1 Epicentre [Paris] [Médecins Sans Frontières]
2 Ministère de la Santé Publique et de la Lutte contre les Endémies
3 CERMES - Centre de Recherche Médicale et Sanitaire (Niamey, Niger)
4 MSF - Médecins Sans Frontières

Single-dose ceftriaxone provides an alternative treatment for epidemic meningococcal meningitis--its efficacy, ease of use, and low cost favour its use. National and international health partners should consider ceftriaxone as an alternative first-line treatment to chloramphenicol for epidemic meningococcal meningitis.

Domains: Life Sciences [q-bio]; Microbiology and Parasitology; Bacteriology

N. Nathan, T. Borel, A. Djibo, D. Evans, S. Djibo, et al.. Ceftriaxone as effective as long-acting chloramphenicol in short-course treatment of meningococcal meningitis during epidemics: a randomised non-inferiority study.. The Lancet, 2005, 366 (9482), pp.308-13. ⟨10.1016/S0140-6736(05)66792-X⟩. ⟨pasteur-00561858⟩