Diagnostic challenges of central nervous system tuberculosis

• Published in: Emerging infectious diseases Vol. 14; no. 9; pp. 1473 - 1475
• Main Authors: Christie, Laura J, Loeffler, Ann M, Honarmand, Somayeh, Flood, Jennifer M, Baxter, Roger, Jacobson, Susan, Alexander, Rick, Glaser, Carol A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States U.S. National Center for Infectious Diseases 01-09-2008; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Antitubercular Agents - pharmacology; California - epidemiology; Central nervous system; Child; Child, Preschool; Diagnosis; Dispatch; encephalitis; Female; Health aspects; Humans; Infant; Male; Medical tests; meningitis; Methods; Middle Aged; Mycobacterium; Mycobacterium bovis; Mycobacterium bovis - drug effects; Mycobacterium bovis - isolation & purification; Mycobacterium tuberculosis; Mycobacterium tuberculosis - drug effects; Mycobacterium tuberculosis - isolation & purification; Risk factors; Tuberculosis; Tuberculosis, Central Nervous System - cerebrospinal fluid; Tuberculosis, Central Nervous System - diagnosis; Tuberculosis, Central Nervous System - epidemiology; Tuberculosis, Central Nervous System - microbiology; California; United States
• ISSN: 1080-6040; 1080-6059
• DOI: 10.3201/eid1409.070264

Central nervous system tuberculosis (TB) was identified in 20 cases of unexplained encephalitis referred to the California Encephalitis Project. Atypical features (encephalitic symptoms, rapid onset, age) and diagnostic challenges (insensitive cerebrospinal fluid [CSF] TB PCR result, elevated CSF glucose levels in patients with diabetes, negative result for tuberculin skin test) complicated diagnosis.