A 40-year-old female develops acute severe headache and neck stiffness. She is febrile at 39°C. You suspect meningitis. She is allergic to penicillin ...

Question

A 40-year-old female develops acute severe headache and neck stiffness. She is febrile at 39°C. You suspect meningitis. She is allergic to penicillin (documented anaphylaxis to amoxicillin). What antibiotic should be given pre-hospital instead of benzylpenicillin?

Accepted Answer

Intravenous cefotaxime 2 g (cephalosporins are safe in most penicillin-allergic patients as cross-reactivity is very low)

Answer

Intravenous gentamicin 5 mg/kg

Answer

No antibiotic should be given pre-hospital if the patient is penicillin-allergic

Answer

Intramuscular chloramphenicol

Answer

Oral ciprofloxacin 500 mg

uk-dipimc MCQ (SBA): Meningitis in Penicillin Allergy

A 40-year-old female develops acute severe headache and neck stiffness. She is febrile at 39°C. You suspect meningitis. She is allergic to penicillin (documented anaphylaxis to amoxicillin). What antibiotic should be given pre-hospital instead of benzylpenicillin?