EVALUATION OF DIRECT MICROSCOPY, CULTURE, AND POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION FOR THE DIAGNOSIS OF TUBERCULOUS MENINGITIS

In view of the importance of early diagnosis of tuberculous meningitis (TBM), the efficiency of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), one of the most reliable and sensitive DNA-based assays, was compared with conventional methods (acid-fast microscopy and culture) for the detection of M. tuberculosis in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) specimens from patients suspected of TBM. Of the 29 CSF specimens from highly probable TBM patients (based on clinical features), 25 were positive by PCR (86.2%), was acid-fast microscopy (AFM) positive (3.4%), positive (17.2%). No positive results were found by AFM, culture or PCR in the nontuberculous control group. The results of this study indicate that application of PCR should be extremely useful for the diagnosis of TBM.