Tuberculous meningitis

• in tuberculosis central nervous system involvement is most commonly seen as (1) :
  • meningitis
  • tuberculomas
• tuberculous meningitis
  • is caused by blood-borne spread of the M. tuberculosis to the brain.
  • it is usually seen following the primary infection (2)
  • sometimes it is part of widespread miliary tuberculosis (2)
  • around 100 cases of Tuberculous meningitis occur each year in England and Wales.
    • is not often seen in the UK outside of the immigrant population.
  • it is important to think of tuberculous meningitis in immune suppressed patients.

Reference:

1. Chin JH. Tuberculous meningitis: Diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. Neurol Clin Pract. 2014 Jun;4(3):199-205.
2. NICE. Tuberculosis. NICE guideline NG33. Published January 2016, last updated February 2024