[Short-term treatment of meningococcal infections]

Based upon our previous experience on the treatment of meningococcal infections with satisfactory evolution when the fourth day of therapy was finalized and taking into account published experiences with four or less days of therapy, we realized a study on the efficacy of a four days therapy when venial meningococcal infections but of seven days when the serious ones. The results obtained were like the former ones we published concerning to death rate but having inferior number of complications. The results of our study suggest that meningococcal infections may be successfully treated according to seriousness, with a four or seven-day course of intravenous penicillin G (300,000 UI/kg/day) distributed in six "aliquots" each four hours. The possibility of a four-days therapy, not taking into account seriousness, is considered for every meningococcal infections.