Rifampicin in the treatment of tuberculous meningitis.

Seventy-one patients diagnosed to have tuberculous meningitis were treated with isoniazid, streptomycin plus either rifampicin (36 patients or ethambutol (35 patients). Results of therapy were identical in both treatment-groups (approximately 50 per cent mortality). Rifampicin appears to be as effective as ethambutol in the treatment of this infection.