Tuberculous meningitis is an infection of the meninges (the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord). It is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacteria that causes tuberculosis.
Alternative Names:
Tubercular meningitis; TB meningitis
Causes, incidence, and risk factors:
Tuberculous meningitis is caused by the spread of Mycobacterium tuberculosis to the brain, from another site in the body. The symptoms usually begin gradually. Risk factors include a history of pulmonary tuberculosis, excessive alcohol use, AIDS, or other disorders that compromise the immune system.
For any patient with meningitis, it is important to perform a lumbar puncture (spinal tap), where doctors take a sample of spinal fluid (known as cerebrospinal fluid, or CSF) and send it for lab tests. The following tests help diagnose tuberculous meningitis:
CSF stain positive for mycobacterium
CSF with high level of protein, low glucose (sugar) level, and increased number of lymphocytes
Review Date: 9/6/2006
Reviewed By: Hilary M. Babcock, M.D., Medical Director of Occupational Infection Control, Barnes-Jewish and St. Louis Children's Hospitals; Instructor of Medicine, Infectious Disease Division, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
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Infectious Diseases, General Pediatrics
