Tuberculous meningitis

**Definition:** A disease of the meninges, caused by an infection with the bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis. This disease is characterised by fever, headache, or neurological deficits. Transmission is through haematogenous spread to the meninges after inhalation of infected respiratory secretions. Confirmation is by identification of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in the cerebrospinal fluid.

**Long definition:** Tuberculous meningitis is tuberculosis where bacilli seed to the meninges or brain parenchyma, resulting in the formation of small subpial or subependymal foci of metastatic caseous lesions, and dissemination into the subarachnoid space causing meningitis.

**Inclusions:** - Tuberculous leptomeningitis