Neurotuberculosis and Its Complications: Case Report

Abstract

Tuberculosis is an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Central nervous system involvement occurs in approximately 1-8% of all patients with active tuberculosis. This is a case report diagnosed by the Pediatrics Service of the Hospital Escola de Valença (HEV), in the city of Valença -RJ from April 2021 to May 2021. The clinical manifestations are varied: in most patients there are persistent evening fever for more than 15 days, radiological image without improvement with the use of antimicrobials for common germs, history of a family member with chronic cough or contact with patients with tuberculosis. This report highlights the importance of recognizing the pattern of complications in TB despite the absence of microbiological confirmation. It also demonstrates the challenge in arriving at diagnosis, given that there is absolute specificity in the gold standard diagnostic tool (TB culture), despite repeated large-volume CSF analysis, and the low sensitivity of CSF TB PCR. The case is special in illustrating the sum of these complications that occur concomitantly.