Alternative Names
Tubercular meningitis; TB meningitis
Definition of Meningitis – tuberculous
Tuberculous meningitis is an infection of the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord (meninges).
Causes, incidence, and risk factors
Tuberculous meningitis is caused by the bacteria that cause tuberculosis The bacteria spread to the brain from another site in the body.
Symptoms
The symptoms usually begin gradually, and may include:
Signs and tests
Physical examination will usually show:
Treatment
Treatment involves several antitubercular drugs at the same time, as it does for . Treatment sometimes must begin if the diagnosis is only suspected, not proved, in order to save a person’s life.
Expectations (prognosis)
Tuberculous meningitis is life-threatening if untreated. Long-term follow-up is needed to detect repeated infections (recurrences).
Review
David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; and Jatin M. Vyas, PhD, MD, Assistant Professor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Assistant in Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc. – 9/15/2010
