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Central nervous system tuberculosis remains a clinical diagnostic challenge. The ex vivo Mycobacterium tuberculosis-specific enzyme-linked immunospot assay (ELISPOT) is a novel assay for the rapid detection of M. tuberculosis-specific T-lymphocytes in the peripheral blood. However, when performed on peripheral blood, this assay cannot distinguish between active tuberculosis or latent tuberculosis infection. On the assumption that M. tuberculosis-specific T-lymphocytes migrate to sites of infection, we were able to demonstrate high levels of M. tuberculosis-specific cells by ELISPOT in the cerebrospinal fluid of a patient with tuberculous meningitis and intracerebral tuberculoma four weeks before cerebrospinal fluid culture became positive for M. tuberculosis by culture.

Original publication

DOI

10.1007/s15010-007-7316-0

Type

Journal article

Journal

Infection

Publication Date

12/2008

Volume

36

Pages

597 - 600

Keywords

Adult, Cerebrospinal Fluid, Humans, Interferon-gamma, Male, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, T-Lymphocytes, Time Factors, Tuberculoma, Intracranial, Tuberculosis, Central Nervous System, Tuberculosis, Meningeal