Meningitis developing during cephalothin therapy of septicaemia

A 63-year-old woman developed pneumococcal meningitis during cephalothin treatment for pneumococcal septicaemia. The poor penetration of this antibiotic over the blood-brain barrier makes it unsuitable for the therapy of meningitis. If cephalothin is used in other serious infections, the patient should be closely observed for the development of meningitis.