Impact of Antibiotic Therapy in the Microbiological Yield of Healthcare-Associated Ventriculitis and Meningitis.

The impact of antibiotic therapy on the diagnosis of healthcare-associated ventriculitis and meningitis (HCAVM) is unknown. Antibiotics were administered before obtaining cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in 217 out of 326 (66%) patients with HCAVM, and they impacted the sensitivity of the cerebrospinal fluid Gram stain and culture ( ≤ .004).