title: Tuberculosis of the central nervous system.
abstract: Tuberculosis can involve any organ system of the body. Although rare tuberculosis of nervous system (NS) is not uncommon in our country. In the nervous system tubercle bacilli can cause tuberculous meningitis, abscess , tuberculoma in brain & spinal cord. Untreated Central Nervous System (CNS) tuberculosis is devastating. Early diagnosis & prompt treatment of NS is essential to avoid morbidity & mortality. Tubercle bacilli causes chronic caseating granulomatous lesion. Tubercular meningitis presents with fever, headache, neck stiffness & cranial nerve palsy. Tuberculoma may present with headache, seizure and focal deficit. In the spinal cord tuberculoma or tubercular abscess may result in para paresis or quadri-paresis. For diagnosis of nervous system tuberculosis CSF analysis and neuroimaging are important. CSF cell count, Gram staining, Culture and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) are helpful for diagnosis. Imaging helps in the diagnosis of tuberculoma and tubercular abscess. Computed tomography (CT) guided Fine Needle Aspiration for Cytology (FNAC) helps to establish the histopathological diagnosis. Use of combination antitubercular drugs for long period (12-18 months) is necessary to treat nervous system tuberculosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Dhaka Medical College and Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Mondol
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Siddiqui
authors.forename: Q D
authors.initials: QD
authors.lastname: Mohammad
authors.forename: N C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Saha
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Hoque
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Uddin
mesh_terms: D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control; D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D046508:Culture Techniques; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging; D006801:Humans; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011379:Prognosis; D013194:Staining and Labeling; D020306:Tuberculosis, Central Nervous System / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D000995:Antitubercular Agents