Unspecified Meningoencephalitis with Empiric Antimicrobial Therapy: A Case Report

Abstract

Meningoencephalitis is inflammation of the central nervous system (CNS) including the brain parenchyma, lining of the brain and brainstem.Inflammation in meningoencephalitis can be caused by infectious or non-infectious processes (autoimmune diseases, neoplastic processes, drug reactions).In cases of suspected encephalitis in children, empirical therapy that can be given within the first 6 hours after admission to the hospital without a diagnosis of a cause other than a virus is acyclovir at a dose of 500 mg/m2 or 10 mg/kg every 8 hours at the age of 3 months to 18 years to 14 days. Acyclovir is given because the most common cause is HSV. Steroids may be given if the cause is suspected or streptococcus pneumonia or Haemophilus influenzae. In this case a 6 year old boy came to the emergency room unconscious, the patient was diagnosed with meningoencephalitis. The patient was given antimicrobial drugs in the form of ceftriaxone due to the limitations of antiviral drugs at the hospital. It turned out that there was an improvement in clinical symptoms in children on the 3rd day of treatment which was marked by an improvement in general conditions and a decrease in temperature.