Health Information : Tubercular Brain and Spine Infections

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What are Tubercular Brain and Spine Infections ?

Tuberculosis is a contagious airborne disease caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It basically affects lungs and has the tendency to travel through the blood stream if TB infection is not treated immediately, thereby, infecting other organs as well as tissues in the body.

At times, this bacterium travels to the tissues covering the brain and spinal cord (meninges) and infects them resulting in the development of a life-threatening condition known as tuberculosis meningitis.

What are the risk factors of developingTubercular Brain and Spine Infections?

Tubercular Brain and Spine Infections can occur in children as well as adults of all ages. However, there are certain risk factors for developing this disease, namely:

• HIV/AIDS
• Excessive alcohol abuse
• Weak immune system
• Pulmonary tuberculosis
• Diabetes mellitus

What are the symptoms of Tubercular Brain and Spine Infections?

The symptoms of Tubercular Brain and Spine Infections usually appear slowly initailly and progress over a period of time. These symptoms are:

• Fatigue
• Malaise
• Fever& chills
• Confused state of mind
• Severe headache
• Stiff neck
• Nausea & vomiting
• Lethargy
• Irritability
• Unconsciousness

How can Tubercular Brain and Spine Infections be treated?

Your doctor will prescribe anti-TB drugs to fight Tubercular Brain and Spine Infections. He may also give systemic steroids to reduce the complications associated with the disease. The treatment may continue for around 12 months in case the infection is severe.

In certain cases surgical treatment is also required.