Abstract
<b><i>Introduction:</i></b> Nosocomial meningitis may occur after procedures affecting the central nervous system or following traumatic injury. The causative infectious organism is commonly <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i>, a Gram-positive bacterium<i>.</i> The aim of the present study was to compare the effectiveness of two antibacterial agents, ceftobiprole and vancomycin, in an animal model of methicillin-resistant <i>S. aureus</i> (MRSA) meningitis. <b><i>Method:</i></b> The strain of MRSA used was ATCC 43300. The animals were divided into three groups and infected intracisternally with MRSA. Controls received no antibiotherapy while the ceftobiprole group received 25 mg/kg and the vancomycin group received 20 mg/kg intravenously. Blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples were collected at three time points. All animals were euthanized at 73 h after start of treatment. <b><i>Results:</i></b> There was a significant difference (<i>p</i> < 0.05) between both treatment groups and the control animals at 24 h (drug trough) and 73 h (1 h after third dose) after start of treatment in terms of CSF bacterial levels. At 73 h, there was a significant difference in survival between the control group and the two treatment groups but no difference between the treated animal survival rates. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> Intravenous treatment with ceftobiprole and vancomycin appears to be equally effective in a rabbit model of MRSA meningitis.