Which statement explains why broad-spectrum antibiotics should be started before culture results in suspected meningitis?

• A. Early antibiotics reduce mortality.
• B. Culture results are often unreliable, so antibiotics are started anyway.
• C. Antibiotics should only be given after culture results.
• D. Antibiotics are unnecessary if symptoms are mild.

Answer: (B)

In suspected meningitis, acting fast is essential because the infection can deteriorate rapidly and cause serious complications. Culture results take time to come back and can be unreliable—prior antibiotics can sterilize CSF or some organisms are hard to culture—so waiting for results could delay life-saving treatment. Therefore, clinicians start broad-spectrum antibiotics promptly once cultures are drawn (and after a lumbar puncture if feasible) to cover the likely pathogens while awaiting definitive data. This approach minimizes the window during which the infection can cause harm.