Neurotuberculosis: a review

Abstract

Tuberculosis is still a major cause of serious illness in many parts of the world. CNS involvement has frequently been found secondary to tuberculosis elsewhere in the body, particularly the lungs. The disease manifests itself as meningitis, tuberculoma and/or spinal tuberculosis. The presence of tuberculosis elsewhere in the body favors the diagnosis although its absence does not exclude it. While tuberculous meningitis is a disease of childhood, tuberculomas and spinal tuberculosis are invariably an adult manifestation. The great majority of patients with neurotuberculosis are diagnosed and treated early because of characteristic clinical, imaging, and CSF findings. Clinical response to antituberculous therapy in all forms of neurotuberculosis is excellent if the diagnosis is made early before irreversible neurological deficit is established.