[Gamma interferon testing in blood and cerebrospinal fluid--rapid method for the diagnosis of tuberculous meningitis].

AIM

To evaluate the benefit of this early method of diagnosis of tuberculous meningitis, gamma-interferon levels comparatively in blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).

MATERIAL AND METHOD

We have studied 50 patients with tuberculous meningitis admitted in the Clinic of Infectious Diseases Iaşi between 2006-2007, from the epidemiological, clinical, diagnosis and therapeutical points of view.

RESULTS

Tuberculous meningitis was more frequent in males, with a mean ration of 2.5. The age of patients varied between 2 and 78 years of age, with a mean value of 30.5 years. 35.6% of patients were children. In 32 cases the meningeal infection was secondary, disseminated from a primary site, most frequently from the lungs (68,7%). The bacteriologic confirmation was through culture in 13.3%, with an average of 23.4 days of incubation. In whole blood the sensitivity Quantiferon TB Gold assay (QTF) was 78.57%. In CSF the specificity was higher than in blood (96.1 vs. 88.4%), having a positive prediction value over 90%. Antituberculous therapy prior to QTF testing had a negative impact, 50 to 6 cases having negative QTF results.

CONCLUSION

The performance indicators of TB Gold Quantiferon Test in serum or CSF are high, being more sensitive and rapid than the direct exam of CSF or BK culture.