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Meningitis - tuberculous - Treatment

Alternative Names

Tubercular meningitis; TB meningitis

Treatment:

Treatment involves several antitubercular drugs at the same time, as it does for pulmonary tuberculosis. Treatment usually lasts for at least 12 months. Systemic steroids may also be used.

Expectations (prognosis):

Tuberculous meningitis is life-threatening if untreated. Long-term follow-up is needed to detect repeated infections (recurrences).

Complications:

Brain damage resulting from the infection may cause:

Abnormal behavior
Mental impairment
Motor paralysis
Seizures

Calling your health care provider:

Go to the emergency room or call 911 if you suspect you or your child may have any form of meningitis. This condition can rapidly cause disability or death.

Call your health care provider if symptoms worsen or do not improve with treatment, or if new symptoms develop.

Central nervous system

Reviewed last on: 9/28/2008
David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; and Jatin M. Vyas, PhD, MD, Instructor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Assistant in Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Swartz MN. Meningitis: bacterial, viral, and other. In: Goldman L, Ausiello D, eds. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007: chap 437.

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