Infectious Diseases and Tuberculosis

Pathogen and host biomarkers to aid early diagnosis and prognosis of tuberculous meningitis

This study evaluates LAM detection in CSF and urine and host inflammatory biomarkers for diagnosing and prognosticating tuberculous meningitis, finding high specificity for LAM and strong diagnostic performance for IL-1β.

Contribution of cytotoxic CD8 T cells, neutrophils and type 1 interferon signaling to hyperinflammation in HIV-associated TB meningitis

This study identifies a hyper-inflammatory immune response in HIV-associated TB meningitis, marked by cytotoxic CD8 T cells, activated neutrophils, and type 1 interferon signaling.

Single-cell profiling of blood and cerebrospinal fluid in tuberculous meningitis

This study uses scRNA-seq to analyze CSF and blood from TBM patients, identifying inflammatory cell subtypes and altered metabolic pathways in CSF.

Digital PCR detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and HIV-1 co-localization in spinal tuberculosis biopsies

The paper uses ddPCR to detect and quantify Mtb and HIV-1 in spinal tuberculosis biopsies, finding reciprocal relationships between pathogen abundance and immune microenvironment factors.

M. tuberculosis invades and disrupts the blood-brain barrier directly to initiate meningitis

This study shows M. tuberculosis can directly cross the blood-brain barrier and cause meningitis, with HIV-1 enhancing bacterial entry and BBB disruption.

Whole blood transcriptional profiles and the pathogenesis of tuberculous meningitis

This study identifies gene modules, hubs, and pathways associated with TBM mortality using whole blood RNA sequencing and develops a 4-gene biomarker for predicting death from TBM.

A Bayesian analysis of the association between Leukotriene A4 Hydrolase genotype and survival probability of tuberculous meningitis patients treated with adjunctive dexamethasone

The paper uses Bayesian analysis to show the LTA4H TT genotype improves survival in TBM patients in Vietnam and Indonesia, but only when disease severity is not the primary cause of mortality.