Diagnosis of Tuberculous Meningitis by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) in CSF

ABSTRACT

Cerebrospinal fluid from 27 patients with tuberculous meningitis and from appropriate control individuals were assayed for immunoglobulin G activity to tuberculin purified protein derivative (PPD) and Lipoarabinomannan-B (LAM-B) antigens by a'n enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). A significant difference was found between the tuberculous meningitis group and control. The sensitivity and specificity of these tests in cerebrospinal fluid was 59.2% and 93.9% for PPD, 85.2% and 95.9% for LAM-B antigen, and 70.3% and 89.7% for PCR method. The ELISA method measuring IgG antibody to LAM-B in cerebrospinal fluid and PCR method were both reliable and complementary each other for early diagnosis of patient with tuberculous meningitis.