What is TB Meningitis?

In the case when the bacteria travels the meninges, it leads to a life-threatening disease called meningeal tuberculosis or tubercular meningitis or TB meningitis. Meninges are the membranes around the spinal cord and brain.

Causes of TB Meningitis

TB meningitis is the result of an entire process of the TB bacteria entering your body and travelling to the meninges. We have explained it in the following steps:

• The bacteria enter the body through droplet inhalation, i.e breathing in the bacterium from an infected person who is sneezing or coughing.
• The bacteria multiply when in the lungs and passes through the bloodstream to reach different body organs.
• These abscesses can burst and lead to TB meningitis. It can be an immediate result or may show up after months of years post the initial infection.
• It is an infectious process that results in an increase in pressure within the skull that further causes damage to the brain and nerve tissue.

Symptoms TB Meningitis

When to see a doctor