Management of complex tuberculosis cases: a focus on drug-resistant tuberculous meningitis

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Drug-resistant tuberculous meningitis has been reported worldwide. Isoniazid mono-resistance is the most frequent cause of drug-resistant tuberculous meningitis, a life-threatening disease. Extensive drug-resistant tuberculous meningitis has also been reported in some isolated case reports.

Areas covered: We reviewed the current literature on drug-resistant tuberculous meningitis, as well as drug-resistant tuberculosis.

Expert commentary: Drug-resistant tuberculous meningitis is a life-threatening disease and needs prompt diagnosis and treatment. Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra technology can detect Mycobacterium tuberculosis and rifampicin resistance in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) even with low numbers of bacilli. The optimum antituberculosis drug regimen for multidrug-resistant tuberculous meningitis is largely unknown as no second-line antituberculosis drug-containing regimen has been tested in a randomized controlled fashion in drug-resistant tuberculous meningitis. A combination of levofloxacin, kanamycin, ethionamide, linezolid, and pyrazinamide would be an appropriate regimen because of excellent CSF profile of most of these drugs. End TB Strategy will help in checking the increasing challenge of drug-resistant tuberculous meningitis as it aims to eliminate all kinds of tuberculosis by the year 2035.

KEYWORDS:

• Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis
• Mycobacterium tuberculosis
• CNS tuberculosis
• miliary tuberculosis
• disseminated tuberculosis

Declaration of interest

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Reviewer disclosures

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Additional information

Funding

The manuscript was not funded.