Observations on the Laboratory Diagnosis of Tuberculous Meningitis

Observations on tuberculous meningitis.

Immunocytochemical method for early laboratory diagnosis of tuberculous meningitis.

A simple immunocytochemical method was standardized for the direct demonstration of mycobacterial antigen in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) specimens of patients with tuberculous meningitis (TBM). CSF-cytospin smears were prepared from 22 patients with a clinical diagnosis of TBM and also from an equal number of patients with nontuberculous neurological diseases (disease control). Immunocytological ...

Improving the bacteriological diagnosis of tuberculous meningitis.

We made a bacteriological diagnosis of tuberculous meningitis in 107 of 132 (81%) adults with clinical tuberculous meningitis: acid-fast bacilli were seen in 77 of 132 (58%) and cultured from 94 of 132 (71%). Volume of cerebrospinal fluid, duration of symptoms, cerebrospinal fluid neutrophils, lactate, and glucose were all independently associated with bacteriological confirmation.

EVALUATION OF DIRECT MICROSCOPY, CULTURE, AND POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION FOR THE DIAGNOSIS OF TUBERCULOUS MENINGITIS

In view of the importance of early diagnosis of tuberculous meningitis (TBM), the efficiency of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), one of the most reliable and sensitive DNA-based assays, was compared with conventional methods (acid-fast microscopy and culture) for the detection of M. tuberculosis in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) specimens from patients suspected of TBM. Of the 29 CSF specim...

Laboratory Diagnosis of Meningitis

Meningitis is an infection of the membranes (meninges) surrounding the brain and spinal cord. Meningitis is usually of multiple etiology-bacterial, fungal or viral yet bacteria remain the common etiological agent (Reid & Fallon, 1992). Meningitis can be acute, with a quick onset of symptoms, or chronic, lasting a month or more, or can be mild or aseptic, but the emphasis should be on identifica...