Penetration of ciprofloxacin into the spinal fluid in patients with viral and bacterial meningitis.

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) concentrations of ciprofloxacin (Ciprobay) were measured by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) in 20 patients with varying degrees of meningeal inflammation. Underlying clinical syndromes were viral meningitis (n = 10), convalescent phase of acute bacterial meningitis (n = 9), and acute phase of bacterial meningitis (n = 1). CSF concentrations following an intravenous dose of 200 mg ranged between 0.028 and 0.11 mg/l (5.8-26.8% of corresponding serum levels) in patients with viral meningitis, and between 0.049 and 0.389 mg/l (5.9-77.0% of corresponding serum levels) in patients with bacterial meningitis. Taken together with the findings of other authors, the results indicate a potential usefulness of ciprofloxacin as an alternative agent for treatment of meningitis due to susceptible gram-negative microorganisms.