Potential Use of Multiplex PCR in Diagnosis of Tuberculous Meningitis

N Philip; C Wilkes; T W Yeo; G S Rajahram; T William; D V John

Potential Use of Multiplex PCR in Diagnosis of Tuberculous Meningitis

Trop Biomed. 2017 Dec 1;34(4):870-876.

Authors

N Philip¹, C Wilkes², T W Yeo³, G S Rajahram⁴, T William⁵, D V John¹

Affiliations

¹ Biotechnology Research Institute, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Sabah, Malaysia.
² Infectious Diseases Society Sabah-Menzies School of Health and Clinical Research Unit, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia.
³ Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.
⁴ Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah Malaysia.
⁵ Jesselton Medical Centre, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia.

PMID: 33592956

Abstract

Accurate and rapid diagnosis of tuberculous meningitis (TBM) is important for early administration of treatment. In this study, we have evaluated the diagnostic value of smear, culture, multiplex PCR and GeneXpert MTB/RIF to detect M. tuberculosis in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from patients with suspected TBM registered in Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia. Of the 55 CSF samples collected, 12 (21.8%) samples were positive by multiplex PCR, 3 (5.4%) by GeneXpert MTB/RIF and only 1 (1.8%) by smear and culture. Multiplex PCR showed higher sensitivity to detect M. tuberculosis in patients with suspected TBM and has the potential to be used as a diagnostic method.