title: Significance of Mycobacterium tuberculosis antigen expression in cerebrospinal fluid monocytes in diagnosing tuberculous meningitis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to investigate the significance of positive expression of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, (MTB) antigen in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) monocytes in diagnosing tuberculous meningitis (TBM).
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 50 inpatients of TBM, 30 viral meningitis and 20 healthy controls were studied at the 1 st , 2 nd , and 4 th week during their treatment course. Immunohistochemical assay were used to detect early secreted antigenic target 6 (ESAT-6) positive cells, and positive cases were also observed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The percentage of positive cases and positive cells of ESAT-6 in CSF monocytes were all higher in the 1 st and 2 nd week than in the 4 th week in TBM patients (P < 0.01); and percentage of positive cases and positive cells of MTB antigen in CSF monocytes were higher in TBM patients than in viral meningitis and health control in the 1 st and 2 nd week (P < 0.01). The sensitivity was 90% and the specificity was 92% in the early stage (within 2 weeks) of TBM.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The positive expression of ESAT-6 in CSF monocytes is helpful for the early diagnosis of TBM.
authors.forename: Fu-Xia
authors.initials: FX
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital, Yantai, Shandong Province, China.
authors.forename: Xu-Wen
authors.initials: XW
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Xiao-Tong
authors.initials: XT
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nai
authors.forename: Zhu-Li
authors.initials: ZL
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D002555:Cerebrospinal Fluid / Q000166:cytology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009000:Monocytes / Q000382:microbiology*; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014390:Tuberculosis, Meningeal / Q000175:diagnosis*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; C093276:ESAT-6 protein, Mycobacterium tuberculosis