Academic emergency medicine : official journal of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine
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Large-scale epidemiologic studies of meningitis in the emergency department (ED) setting are lacking. Using a nationwide sample, the authors determined the frequency of meningitis visits and characterize management. ⋯ Meningitis is rare, diagnosed at 62 per 100,000 ED visits. Rates have been stable over time. Children are 1.48 times more likely to have a visit for meningitis, although adults make twice as many visits. Absence of consensus guidelines for patients suspected of having viral meningitis but being tested for bacterial meningitis may lead to variability in admission and prescribing decisions.