Variability in the Clinical Manifestations of Meningeal Encephalitis due to Tuberculosis

• Main Authors: María Cristina Soto (Author), Olmedo Ferrer Ocando (Author), Yenny Ferrer Ocando (Author), Armando Hernández Pernía (Author), Melvis Arteaga de Vizcaíno (Author), Arelis Ferrer Ocando (Author), Liliam González (Author)
• Format: Book
• Published: Universidad del Zulia,Facultad de Medicina,Departamento de Enfermedades Infecciosas y Tropicales, 2010-08-01T00:00:00Z.
• Subjects: article
• Online Access: Connect to this object online.

Summary

With the objective of describing clinical manifestations in patients with meningeal encephalitis due to tuberculosis (TBC), a descriptive, retrospective study was made by reviewing clinical histories of 15 adult patients with a diagnosis of TBC in the SAHUM neurology service from January 2002 to December 2008. Age, sex, clinical manifestations, hospitalization and treatment were analyzed. Of the 15 patients, 10 (66.67%) were female, 9 (60.0%) were between 20 and 29 years of age; 53.34% came from the Mara and Páez Municipalities. The clinical manifestations were: headache and nape of the neck rigidity, 14 (93.33%); alteration of consciousness, 13 (86.67%); alteration of mental state, 7 (46.66%); convulsions, 8 (53.33%); intracranial hypertension, 5 (33.33%); motor deficit, 3 (20.00%); alteration of cranial pairs, 2 (13.33%) as a false locator sign and diplopia, 2 (13.33%). Cytochemical study of the cerebrospinal fluid revealed hypoglycorrhachia in 100.00% of the patients. Ziehl Neelsen coloration was positive in 1 (6.67%). Six patients (40.00%) had had the disease for more than 1 month. Conclusions were that the clinical manifestations of meningeal encephalitis due to TBC are diverse, with the meningeal syndrome as the most frequent.

Item Description

0075-5222
2477-9628