Ampicillin Dosage

In the February issue, Young, et al.1 presented a case of Hemophilus influenzae meningitis with apparent relapse following 14 days of ampicillin therapy. The ampicillin, in a dose of 200 mg/kg. day, was given intravenously at 6-hour intervals for 3 days and then the administration was changed to the intramuscular route. The question arises as to whether this case was an example of suppressed continuing infection. In the first major article published in this country on the use of ampicillin in the treatment of acute suppurative meningitis, Barrett, et al.2 treated 16 patients with meningitis caused by H. influenzae.