Active clinical trials for "Meningitis, Bacterial"

The main purpose of this trial is to test if mortality of childhood bacterial meningitis can be reduced by slow, continuous infusion of cefotaxime initially, instead of the traditional bolus administration four times daily (qid), combined with high-dose paracetamol orally, when both treatments are executed for the first 4 days. The series will be collected at Hospital Pediátrico David Bernardino, Luanda, Angola. The recruitment of patients begins, the conditions permitting, in early 2012. The criteria for patient participation is a child at the age of 2 months to 15 years who presents with the symptoms and signs suggestive of bacterial meningitis, for whom a lumbar puncture is performed, and the cerebrospinal fluid analysis suggests bacterial meningitis.

This study is part of a research programme that aims to improve ways of protecting people from serious illnesses such as meningitis and sepsis caused by a bacterium called Neisseria meningitidis (N. meningitidis), using a closely related but harmless bacterium called Neisseria lactamica (N. lactamica). Investigators have previously given nose drops containing N. lactamica to over 350 volunteers - this is known as inoculation. In these studies the investigators have shown that they can cause colonisation of many inoculated volunteers (35-60%) with N. lactamica. Colonisation is when bacteria survive on or in a person without causing any illness or disease. N. lactamica specifically colonises the nose and throat. Investigators have also shown that colonisation with N. lactamica results in an immune (antibody) response. In this study investigators will be using a genetically modified version of N. lactamica which contains a single gene from N. meningitides. It is anticipated that the presence of this gene will change the number of people who are colonised and how long people remain colonised for, as well as causing them to produce an immune response to N. meningitides. The purpose of this study are to prove that inoculation with this modified N. lactamica does not cause any symptoms or illness, and to analyse the immune response produced in healthy volunteers.

The impact of neurological disorders is enormous worldwide, and it is increased in poor settings, due to lack of diagnosis and treatment facilities as well as delayed management. In sub-Saharan Africa, the few observational studies conducted for the past 20 years show that neurological disorders accounted for 7 to 24% of all admissions. Central nervous system (CNS) infections were suspected in one third of all patients admitted with neurological symptoms, with a specific microbial aetiology identified in half of these. Most CNS infections may be considered as "severe and treatable diseases", e.g. human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), cerebral malaria, bacterial meningitis, CNS tuberculosis etc. If left untreated, death or serious sequels occur (mortality rates were as high as 30% in the above mentioned studies), but the outcome may be favourable with timely and appropriate management. In poor settings, such conditions should be targeted in priority in the clinical decision-making process. Unfortunately, most neuro-infections present with non-specific symptoms in their early stages, leading to important diagnostic delays. Moreover, they require advanced diagnostic technology, which is not available in most tropical rural settings: here, you have to rely on clinical judgment and first-line laboratory results, whose confirming or excluding powers are limited or unknown. Several rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) have been recently developed for conditions like malaria or HIV, but their diagnostic contribution has not been evaluated within a multi-disease approach. Thus, this research aims at improving the early diagnosis of severe and treatable neglected and non-neglected infectious diseases which present with neurological symptoms in the province of Bandundu, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), by combining classic clinical predictors with a panel of simple point-of-care rapid diagnostic tests. The evaluation of existing algorithms and elaboration/validation of new guidelines will be described in a subsequent protocol.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate immunogenicity of BK1310 for all antigens (anti-PRP, diphtheria toxin, pertussis, tetanus toxin, and polio virus), after 3 times of injection, when compared noninferiority with co-administration of ActHIB® and Tetrabik, as well as efficacy and safety, in healthy infants.

This study will evaluate the immunogenicity and safety of a single injection of Novartis Meningococcal ACWY conjugate vaccine in healthy subjects from 2 to 18 years in Taiwan.

The purpose of this study in healthy toddlers who have not previously been immunized against MenC infection and who completed their primary immunization series with PCV-7 (3 vaccinations) during infancy is to demonstrate that the concomitant administration of a single dose of MenC-TT vaccine and a PCV7 booster does not influence the immune response to the seven pneumococcal strains contained in PCV7 as compared to administration of PCV7 alone, and does not influence the immune response to the MenC-TT vaccine as compared to administration of MenC-TT vaccine alone.

The limited available data precludes establishing an antibiotic regimen in patients suffering from bacterial meningitis after head trauma, or spontaneous bleeding Understanding the disposition of Amikacin administered intrathecally will enable to propose rational treatment of these patients.

Neisseria meningitidis is a 'bad bacteria' which lives harmlessly in the nose and throat of many young adults (a process called colonisation). However, it can occasionally cause serious disease including meningitis. Vaccines have proven effective in preventing disease associated with a number of strains of this bacterium, however some disease-causing strains are not covered by currently available vaccines. This research is focused on exploring new approaches to preventing colonisation and disease caused by this bacterium. Neisseria lactamica is a 'good bacteria' that colonises the nose and throat of young children. It does not cause disease in healthy people. In a previous study it has been demonstrated that the introduction of Neisseria lactamica into the noses of healthy adult volunteers resulted in a significant decrease in Neisseria meningitidis colonisation. However, it is not yet understood why this effect occurs. One theory is that the immune response the body mounts in response to colonisation with the 'good bacteria' cross-reacts with the 'bad bacteria' and in so doing eradicates the bad bacteria from the nose and throat. This study aims to outline the nature of the immune responses mounted in response to colonisation with the good bacteria, N. lactamica, after introducing it into the noses of healthy adult volunteers. In addition, the study aims to establish how the introduction of the good bacteria changes the other bacterial populations that live in the nose and throat.

Primary objective: To demonstrate the non-inferiority in terms of seroprotection rates (Hib antigen (PRP), Diphtheria, Tetanus, and Pertussis antigens (PT and FHA), and polio types 1, 2 and 3 antigens) of investigational arm (Group A: DTaP-IPV/Hib) versus control arm (Group B: DTaP-IPV and Hib vaccines administered at separate sites), one month after the primary vaccination (all antigens). Secondary objectives: To describe immune responses against all vaccine antigens with no pre-specified hypothesis, and at all time points (pre-dose 1, post-dose 3, pre-dose 4 and post-dose 4) in the two study groups (Group A and Group B). To describe the safety after each dose of each vaccine in the two study groups (Group A and Group B). To describe immune responses against all vaccine antigens with no pre-specified hypothesis, and at all time points (pre-dose 1, post-dose 3, pre-dose 4 and post-dose 4 (Group C)

This study will evaluate the immunogenicity of a single injection of Novartis Meningococcal ACWY conjugate vaccine in healthy subjects from the age of 2 years and above in India.