Which of the following is a common indication for cephalosporins?

Cephalosporins are a class of antibiotics that are commonly used to treat a variety of bacterial infections. One of the significant indications for their use is in the treatment of meningitis, which is an infection of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord. Cephalosporins, particularly third-generation cephalosporins such as ceftriaxone, are effective against many of the bacteria that can cause meningitis, including Neisseria meningitidis and Streptococcus pneumoniae. They penetrate the blood-brain barrier effectively, making them particularly suitable for treating central nervous system infections.

The other options, while they may involve complications that can be influenced by infections, are not direct indications for the use of cephalosporins. Congestive heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and liver cirrhosis do not inherently require antibiotic treatment unless there is a specific bacterial infection associated with these conditions. Thus, the treatment of meningitis with cephalosporins stands out as a direct, commonly recognized use of this class of antibiotics.