Active clinical trials for "Meningitis"

Central nervous system (CNS) infection is a common nervous system acute and severe disease, mainly manifested as encephalitis, meningitis and meningoencephalitis, but also manifested as brain abscess and brain granuloma et al. The basis for the diagnosis of CNS infection lies in the detection of pathogens from brain parenchyma or cerebellar spinal fluid (CSF). However, CSF is relatively difficult to obtain and the sample size is small, which limits the rapid and definite diagnosis of CNS infection pathogens. In addition, CNS infection usually has non-specific clinical manifestations, so it is difficult to identify the pathogen for about half of CNS infection. Metagenomic next generation sequencing (mNGS) and biochip technology provide new means to identify the pathogens of CNS infection. This study analyzes the incidence and epidemic characteristics of CNS infection in China, to standardize the CSF sample processing process, shorten the detection time, increase the sensitivity and specificity of pathogen detection, reduce the detection cost, identify the common pathogens of CNS infection, and establish a standardized rapid diagnosis system, effective prevention and control system.

This phase I-II multicenter international trial is designed to study the pharmacokinetics of meropenem and to characterize the safety profile of meropenem in the treatment of infants ≤ 90 days of postnatal age with probable or confirmed bacterial meningitis.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (SA) is a major pathogen causing mainly health-care associated infections and, lately, also community acquired infections. Few treatment choices exist to treat these infections. The currently recommended antibiotics for these infections are glycopeptides (vancomycin or teicoplanin). Glycopeptide treatment hs several disadvantages. It is a last resort antibiotic family that should be reserved for the future; Vancomycin is less effective that beta-lactam drugs for SA infections susceptible to both agents; treatment can only be given intravenously; and use of vancomycin has led to the development of SA strains with partial or complete resistance to vancomycin. Cotrimoxazole is an old antibiotic active against most strains of MRSA, depending on local epidemiology. Study hypothesis: The purpose of this study is to show that cotrimoxazole is as effective as treatment with vancomycin for invasive MRSA infections. We plan a randomized controlled trial comparing treatment with cotrimoxazole vs. vancomycin for invasive MRSA infections. The primary efficacy outcome we will assess will be Improvement or cure with or without antibiotic modifications, defined as: survival at 7 days post randomization with resolution of fever (<38 for two consecutive days) and resolution of hypotension (>90 systolic without need for vasopressor support); and physician's assessment that the primary infection was improved or cured. The primary safety outcome will be all-cause 30-day survival.

To compare the safety and effectiveness of fluconazole and amphotericin B, alone or in combination with flucytosine, as treatment for acute cryptococcal meningitis.

To compare the safety and effectiveness of fluconazole and amphotericin B, alone or in combination with flucytosine, as treatment for acute cryptococcal meningitis.

Tuberculosis meningitis (TBM) is the most severe manifestation of TB, resulting in death or neurological disability in up to 50% of affected patients, despite antibacterial treatment. This TBM treatment follows the model for pulmonary TB by using the same first-line TB drugs (a combination of rifampicin, isoniazid, pyrazinamide and ethambutol) and the same dosing guidelines, although it is known that penetration of two of these drugs (rifampicin and ethambutol) into cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is limited. Improvement of treatment of TBM is urgently needed. To do so, a combination of two interventions will be investigated in this study. A series of phase II clinical trials on higher doses of the pivotal TB drug rifampicin in Indonesian patients with TBM have shown that the dose of rifampicin can be increased from 10 mg/kg orally (standard dose) up to 30 mg/kg orally, resulting in a strong increase in exposure to this drug in plasma and CSF, no increase in grade III or IV adverse effects, and a reduction in mortality. Similarly, higher doses of rifampicin up to 35 mg/kg resulted in strong increases in plasma concentrations; the doses were well tolerated and reduced time to sputum conversion in African pulmonary TB patients. Next to a higher dose of rifampicin, the approved antibacterial drug linezolid seems a good candidate for a new TBM regimen. The drug penetrates well into the CSF and is applied successfully against other central nervous system (CNS) infections (e.g. caused by penicillin-nonsusceptible Streptococcus pneumoniae, vancomycin-resistant enterococci and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus). In a study in China, linezolid in a dose of 600 mg BID orally strongly increased recovery of patients with TBM response. Linezolid is also being investigated as a new drug for (drug-resistant) pulmonary TB in numerous studies, in a dose of 1200 mg once daily. More severe adverse effects to this drug typically occur only after prolonged treatment during several months, not during short-term treatment. Overall, linezolid is expected to be a promising and tolerable candidate for a new intensified TBM treatment regimen consisting of a backbone of high dose rifampicin plus linezolid.

The primary purpose of this study is to evaluate the pharmacokinetic profile of micafungin administered to neonates suffering from systemic candidiasis. This study will also evaluate the proportion of success and of failure of the therapy with micafungin among treated neonates and will identify a conversion factor to relate plasma levels of micafungin into capillary and venous blood measured through blood samples from the heel and from a peripheral vein, collected simultaneously. Safety of micafungin in neonates will also be assessed.

To purpose of this feasibility study is to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of the Nucleus 24 Multichannel Auditory Brainstem Implant (ABI, Cochlear Corp, Sydney, AUS) in children without the diagnosis of neurofibromatosis type II (NFII) that have either experienced failed cochlear implantation (CI) or have been unable to receive a CI secondary to cochlear or cochlear nerve disorders. These conditions can include: developmental or acquired cochlear nerve deficiency (CND), cochlear aplasia (Michel), post-meningitic cochlear ossification or cochlear malformation. This study proposes to implant up to 10 young children (<5 yrs. of age) with the Nucleus 24 Multichannel ABI (Sydney, AUS) in an attempt to demonstrate safety of the surgical procedure, tolerance of device stimulation, and the potential for auditory benefit beyond that experienced with their CI. This study will provide the preliminary experience for a larger scale clinical trial. Aim 1: Demonstrate the safety of ABI surgery in children. Aim 2: Demonstrate the development of sound awareness and improved speech understanding among children implanted with the ABI when compared to their baseline skills. Aim 3: Demonstrate the development of oral language skills following the use of the ABI that were not evident prior to its use.

The goal of this randomized clinical trial is to compare early versus standard timing of initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) with respect to clearance of Cryptococcus neoformans from cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) among HIV-infected adults with Cryptococcal Meningitis. The investigators hypothesize that early ART mediates more rapid clearance of C. neoformans from CSF, as manifested by a greater rate of decrease in C. neoformans colony forming units (CFUs) during the first 28 days after initiating antifungal treatment. Secondary hypotheses are that recovery of pathogen specific cellular immunity directed at C. neoformans, as manifested by increases in the number and function of C. neoformans-specific peripheral blood mononuclear cells is associated with 1) ART and 2) pathogen clearance. In addition, patients randomized to the intervention arm will have more rapid clearance of antigen levels in CSF and serum and will have a lower incidence of grade 3 and 4 Adverse events.

The goal of this clinical research study is to learn if and how Avastin (bevacizumab) may affect cancer that has spread to the meninges of the brain or the spinal cord. The safety of this drug will also be studied. Objectives: 1. Primary: 1. Determine preliminary response data of intravenous bevacizumab in patients with NM a. As measured by clearance of malignant cells from the Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) at 2, 4, 6, 12, 18, and 24 weeks, then every 8 weeks up to 54 weeks, and b. Time to neurological progression (TTNP) 2. Secondary: Evaluate the safety of intravenous bevacizumab in patients with NM Further describe the efficacy of this intervention as measured by improvement of MR imaging evidence of disease overall survival maintenance of quality of life Determine effects of systemically administered bevacizumab on CSF, serum, and urine Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)levels levels Correlate changes in CSF VEGF with response measurements. Correlate primary tumor tissue VEGF expression with CSF VEGF levels Correlate urine VEGF levels with serum and CSF VEGF levels Evaluate serum and CSF VEGF index