<prompt> Answer this question truthfullyWhat is the medical treatment for bacterial meningitis?  <response>: <reason> Acute bacterial meningitis is a medical emergency. Empiric antimicrobial therapy must be administered after obtaining blood andor cerebrospinal fluid CSF cultures in cases of suspected meningitis. Once a bacterial etiology has been identified on a CSF Gram stain, treatment regimen should be individualized accordingly. Neither neuroimaging such as CT scan and MRI nor lumbar puncture should delay the administration of antimicrobial therapy. For neonates age 1 month, empirical antimicrobial therapy generally includes Ampicillin 12 gday IV q4h AND Cefotaxime 812 gday q46h OR Amikacin 15 mgkgday IV q8h OR Gentamicin 5 mgkgday IV q8h OR Tobramycin 5 mgkgday IV q8h. For children older than 1 month and adults 50 years, the preferred regimen is usually Vancomycin 3045 mgkgday IV q812h AND Ceftriaxone 4 g IV q1224h OR Cefotaxime 812 gday q46h. For adults 50 years of age, Ampicillin 12gday IV q4h is added to the usual adult regimen. The duration of therapy is variable depending on the causative pathogen, but generally the duration is between 1-3 weeks. Adjunctive Dexamethasone at a dose of 0.15 mgkg q6h for 24 days may be effective when administered early 0-20 minutes prior to administration of antimicrobial therapy among pediatric patients with H. influenzae meningitis and among adults with S. pneumoniae meningitis. 