Risk/benefit in the treatment of children with imipenem-cilastatin for meningitis caused by penicillin-resistant pneumococcus.

A new case of pneumococcal meningitis in a child successfully treated with imipenem-cilastatin after failure of standard antibiotics is presented. Seizures, as the major adverse effect, were easily treated and no sequelae were later observed. The difficulty in distinguishing between seizures due to meningitis and those due to imipenem is discussed. We conclude that imipenem-cilastatin is a good alternative therapy in children's meningitis caused by pneumococcus resistant to standard antibiotics.