Meningitis - tuberculous

Injury Disease Nutrition Poison Symptoms Surgery Test Special Topic

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Central nervous system

Overview Symptoms Treatment Prevention

Meningitis - tuberculous

• Seizures
• Fever
• Listlessness
• Loss of appetite
• Severe headache
• Nausea and vomiting
• Stiff neck
• Sensitivity to light (photophobia)
• Loss of consciousness

For any patient with meningitis, it is important to perform a lumbar puncture (spinal tap), where a needle is inserted into the back of the patient and spinal fluid (known as cerebrospinal fluid, or CSF) is sampled. The following tests help diagnose tuberculous meningitis:

• Spinal fluid (CSF) stain positive for mycobacterium
• CSF with high protein, low glucose and increased lymphocytes
• CSF culture growing M. tuberculosis
• CSF positive for M. tuberculosis PCR
• Positive skin test for tuberculosis
• Brain or meningeal biopsy showing M. tuberculosis

Email this page  Printer friendly  Bookmark this page