In infants, what are the most common causes of meningitis and recommended treatment?

In infants, the most common bacterial pathogens responsible for meningitis include Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) and Neisseria meningitidis (meningococcus). These organisms are highly significant causes of bacterial meningitis in this age group, leading to potentially severe outcomes if not promptly addressed.

The recommended treatment for meningitis in infants includes cefotaxime and vancomycin. Cefotaxime is a cephalosporin antibiotic that effectively targets both pneumococcus and meningococcus, while vancomycin is used to cover for resistant strains of pneumococcus, especially given the concerns regarding antibiotic resistance. This combination ensures broad-spectrum coverage against the most common and serious bacterial pathogens in the pediatric population.

The other options do not align with the standard causes and treatments for meningitis in infants. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is not a common cause of meningitis in this age group and is treated differently, typically in cases of immunocompromise or specific types of infections. Mycobacterium tuberculosis is associated with tuberculosis meningitis but is less common than the bacterial causes mentioned, and treatment focuses on a different regimen which does not include rifampin alone for acute meningitis. Lastly, adenovirus often leads to viral mening