[Guidelines in bacterial meningitis in children].

A committee of the Scientific Council of the National Organization for Quality Assurance in Hospitals has published a report on the diagnosis and management of children with meningitis. Agreement was achieved on the diagnostic investigations that should precede antibiotic treatment, and on the prognosis and follow-up of children recovered from meningitis. No agreement was reached on the role of cephalosporins and aminoglycosides in the antibiotic treatment of bacterial meningitis. Furthermore there was no consensus on the prophylactic administration of rifampicin to family members of patients with meningitis caused by Neisseria meningitidis or Haemophilus influenzae. The arguments pro and contra are mentioned and considered.