A spinal tap is used to obtain a sample of CSF to diagnose bacterial meningitis. The bacteria isolated must be identified. Treatment Treatment must begin as soon as possible. If bacterial meningitis is supected, chemotherapy of the patient is begun even beefore the diagnosis is made and the bacteria is identified. The antibiotic selected for treatment is most often a cephalosporin .
Cephalosporins also inhibit the synthesis of cell walls as penicillin does.
The original treatment for Hemophilus influenzae type b infections was ampicillin. However, ampicillin-resistant isolates of Hib were first discovered in 1974 and have become more prevalent. Since then, several reports have indicated that ampicillin resistance is increasing.