The global burden of tuberculous meningitis in adults: A modelling study.

Tuberculous meningitis (TBM) is the most lethal form of tuberculosis. The incidence and mortality of TBM is unknown due to diagnostic challenges and limited disaggregated reporting of treated TBM by existing surveillance systems. We aimed to estimate the incidence and mortality of TBM in adults (15+...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Peter J Dodd, Muhammad Osman, Fiona V Cresswell, Anna M Stadelman, Nguyen Huu Lan, Nguyen Thuy Thuong Thuong, Morris Muzyamba, Lisa Glaser, Sicelo S Dlamini, James A Seddon
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2021-01-01
Series:PLOS Global Public Health
Online Access:https://journals.plos.org/globalpublichealth/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pgph.0000069&type=printable
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850128569749995520
author Peter J Dodd
Muhammad Osman
Fiona V Cresswell
Anna M Stadelman
Nguyen Huu Lan
Nguyen Thuy Thuong Thuong
Morris Muzyamba
Lisa Glaser
Sicelo S Dlamini
James A Seddon
author_facet Peter J Dodd
Muhammad Osman
Fiona V Cresswell
Anna M Stadelman
Nguyen Huu Lan
Nguyen Thuy Thuong Thuong
Morris Muzyamba
Lisa Glaser
Sicelo S Dlamini
James A Seddon
author_sort Peter J Dodd
collection DOAJ
description Tuberculous meningitis (TBM) is the most lethal form of tuberculosis. The incidence and mortality of TBM is unknown due to diagnostic challenges and limited disaggregated reporting of treated TBM by existing surveillance systems. We aimed to estimate the incidence and mortality of TBM in adults (15+ years) globally. Using national surveillance data from Brazil, South Africa, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and Vietnam, we estimated the fraction of reported tuberculosis that is TBM, and the case fatality ratios for treated TBM in each of these countries. We adjusted these estimates according to findings from a systematic review and meta-analysis and applied them to World Health Organization tuberculosis notifications and estimates to model the global TBM incidence and mortality. Assuming the case detection ratio (CDR) for TBM was the same as all TB, we estimated that in 2019, 164,000 (95% UI; 129,000-199,000) adults developed TBM globally; 23% were among people living with HIV. Almost 60% of incident TBM occurred in males and 20% were in adults 25-34 years old. 70% of global TBM incidence occurred in Southeast Asia and Africa. We estimated that 78,200 (95% UI; 52,300-104,000) adults died of TBM in 2019, representing 48% of incident TBM. TBM case fatality in those treated was on average 27%. Sensitivity analysis assuming improved detection of TBM compared to other forms of TB (CDR odds ratio of 2) reduced estimated global mortality to 54,900 (95% UI; 32,200-77,700); assuming instead worse detection for TBM (CDR odds ratio of 0.5) increased estimated mortality to 125,000 (95% UI; 88,800-161,000). Our results highlight the need for improved routine TBM monitoring, especially in high burden countries. Reducing TBM incidence and mortality will be necessary to achieve the End TB Strategy targets.
format Article
id doaj-art-5e2ac906120a4251bf9ed8535523dcee
institution OA Journals
issn 2767-3375
language English
publishDate 2021-01-01
publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
record_format Article
series PLOS Global Public Health
spelling doaj-art-5e2ac906120a4251bf9ed8535523dcee2025-08-20T02:33:15ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLOS Global Public Health2767-33752021-01-01112e000006910.1371/journal.pgph.0000069The global burden of tuberculous meningitis in adults: A modelling study.Peter J DoddMuhammad OsmanFiona V CresswellAnna M StadelmanNguyen Huu LanNguyen Thuy Thuong ThuongMorris MuzyambaLisa GlaserSicelo S DlaminiJames A SeddonTuberculous meningitis (TBM) is the most lethal form of tuberculosis. The incidence and mortality of TBM is unknown due to diagnostic challenges and limited disaggregated reporting of treated TBM by existing surveillance systems. We aimed to estimate the incidence and mortality of TBM in adults (15+ years) globally. Using national surveillance data from Brazil, South Africa, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and Vietnam, we estimated the fraction of reported tuberculosis that is TBM, and the case fatality ratios for treated TBM in each of these countries. We adjusted these estimates according to findings from a systematic review and meta-analysis and applied them to World Health Organization tuberculosis notifications and estimates to model the global TBM incidence and mortality. Assuming the case detection ratio (CDR) for TBM was the same as all TB, we estimated that in 2019, 164,000 (95% UI; 129,000-199,000) adults developed TBM globally; 23% were among people living with HIV. Almost 60% of incident TBM occurred in males and 20% were in adults 25-34 years old. 70% of global TBM incidence occurred in Southeast Asia and Africa. We estimated that 78,200 (95% UI; 52,300-104,000) adults died of TBM in 2019, representing 48% of incident TBM. TBM case fatality in those treated was on average 27%. Sensitivity analysis assuming improved detection of TBM compared to other forms of TB (CDR odds ratio of 2) reduced estimated global mortality to 54,900 (95% UI; 32,200-77,700); assuming instead worse detection for TBM (CDR odds ratio of 0.5) increased estimated mortality to 125,000 (95% UI; 88,800-161,000). Our results highlight the need for improved routine TBM monitoring, especially in high burden countries. Reducing TBM incidence and mortality will be necessary to achieve the End TB Strategy targets.https://journals.plos.org/globalpublichealth/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pgph.0000069&type=printable
spellingShingle Peter J Dodd
Muhammad Osman
Fiona V Cresswell
Anna M Stadelman
Nguyen Huu Lan
Nguyen Thuy Thuong Thuong
Morris Muzyamba
Lisa Glaser
Sicelo S Dlamini
James A Seddon
The global burden of tuberculous meningitis in adults: A modelling study.
PLOS Global Public Health
title The global burden of tuberculous meningitis in adults: A modelling study.
title_full The global burden of tuberculous meningitis in adults: A modelling study.
title_fullStr The global burden of tuberculous meningitis in adults: A modelling study.
title_full_unstemmed The global burden of tuberculous meningitis in adults: A modelling study.
title_short The global burden of tuberculous meningitis in adults: A modelling study.
title_sort global burden of tuberculous meningitis in adults a modelling study
url https://journals.plos.org/globalpublichealth/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pgph.0000069&type=printable
work_keys_str_mv AT peterjdodd theglobalburdenoftuberculousmeningitisinadultsamodellingstudy
AT muhammadosman theglobalburdenoftuberculousmeningitisinadultsamodellingstudy
AT fionavcresswell theglobalburdenoftuberculousmeningitisinadultsamodellingstudy
AT annamstadelman theglobalburdenoftuberculousmeningitisinadultsamodellingstudy
AT nguyenhuulan theglobalburdenoftuberculousmeningitisinadultsamodellingstudy
AT nguyenthuythuongthuong theglobalburdenoftuberculousmeningitisinadultsamodellingstudy
AT morrismuzyamba theglobalburdenoftuberculousmeningitisinadultsamodellingstudy
AT lisaglaser theglobalburdenoftuberculousmeningitisinadultsamodellingstudy
AT sicelosdlamini theglobalburdenoftuberculousmeningitisinadultsamodellingstudy
AT jamesaseddon theglobalburdenoftuberculousmeningitisinadultsamodellingstudy
AT peterjdodd globalburdenoftuberculousmeningitisinadultsamodellingstudy
AT muhammadosman globalburdenoftuberculousmeningitisinadultsamodellingstudy
AT fionavcresswell globalburdenoftuberculousmeningitisinadultsamodellingstudy
AT annamstadelman globalburdenoftuberculousmeningitisinadultsamodellingstudy
AT nguyenhuulan globalburdenoftuberculousmeningitisinadultsamodellingstudy
AT nguyenthuythuongthuong globalburdenoftuberculousmeningitisinadultsamodellingstudy
AT morrismuzyamba globalburdenoftuberculousmeningitisinadultsamodellingstudy
AT lisaglaser globalburdenoftuberculousmeningitisinadultsamodellingstudy
AT sicelosdlamini globalburdenoftuberculousmeningitisinadultsamodellingstudy
AT jamesaseddon globalburdenoftuberculousmeningitisinadultsamodellingstudy