TY  - JOUR
T1  - Emergence of Tuberculous Meningitis in Egypt as an Important Public Health Problem During a Five-Year Surveillance (1998-2003)
AU - , F.G. Youssef AU - , S.A. Afifi AU - , A.M. Azab AU - , A.O. Saeid AU - , T.M. Parker 
JO  - International Journal of Tropical Medicine
VL  - 2
IS  - 1
SP  - 16
EP  - 20
PY  - 2007
DA  - 2001/08/19
SN  - 1816-3319
DO  - ijtmed.2007.16.20
UR  - https://makhillpublications.co/view-article.php?doi=ijtmed.2007.16.20
KW  - Mycobacterium tuberculosis meningitis
KW  -epidemiology and clinical features of TBM
KW  -TBM in Egypt
KW  -clinical and laboratory features of TBM
AB  - Tuberculous meningitis, one of the most common chronic infections of the central nervous system, had emerged as a significant cause of meningitis in Egypt. In this study we assess the epidemiology, clinical characteristics, mortality and laboratory features of tuberculous meningitis in patients during the enhanced meningitis surveillance 1998-2003. Retrospectively, we reviewed the data of 134 immunocompetent patients with culture positive <I>Mycobacterium tuberculosis</I> infection. The overall case fatality rate for patients with tuberculous meningitis was 47%. It was significantly higher (p< 0.001), than that for all other causes of bacterial meningitis (21.3%). The median age of cases was 23 years. They were 49.6% males and 57.5% of cases occurred in patients>20 years of age. The characteristic cerebrospinal fluid findings, included moderately elevated leucocytes  count  (median:  175  mm <SUP>3</SUP>),  decreased glucose (median: 30 mg dL <SUP>1</SUP>), elevated protein (median: 105 mg dL <SUP>1</SUP>) and proportion of lymphocytes % (median: 30). Patients had long prodromal period>5 days (65%) and low or moderate grade fever (= 38°C) was found in 70%.  Tuberculous meningitis has emerged as a significant cause of bacterial meningitis in Egypt.  Rapid diagnosis and earlier initiation of therapy is important to avoid the high risk of mortality or disabling neurologic sequelae.
ER  -