What is the Difference Between TB Meningitis and Bacterial Meningitis

The key difference between TB meningitis and bacterial meningitis is that TB meningitis is only caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis while bacterial meningitis is caused by many different bacteria including Streptococcus pneumoniae, Group B Streptococcus, Neisseria meningitides, Haemophilus influenza, Listeria monocytogenes, and Escherichia coli.

Meningitis is an inflammation or swelling of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord. There are different types of meningitis such as bacterial meningitis, viral meningitis, fungal meningitis, parasitic meningitis, and amoebic meningitis.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is TB Meningitis 
3. What is Bacterial Meningitis
4. Similarities – TB Meningitis and Bacterial Meningitis
5. TB Meningitis vs. Bacterial Meningitis in Tabular Form
6. FAQ – TB Meningitis and Bacterial Meningitis
7. Summary – TB Meningitis vs. Bacterial Meningitis

What is TB Meningitis?

The bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis causes TB meningitis. It develops slowly. The typical symptoms of this condition may include aches, pains, loss of appetite, tiredness, persistent headache, confusion, and fever. The complications involved in TB meningitis are neurological deficit and coma.

TB meningitis can be diagnosed through physical examination, cerebrospinal fluid test, lumbar puncture, ELISPOT testing,  and nucleic acid amplification tests (NAAT). There are different treatment plans for TB meningitis. Isoniazid, rifampicin, pyrazinamide, and ethambutol for two months, steroids, aspirin, and immunotherapy are some of those treatments.

What is Bacterial Meningitis?

Bacterial meningitis is a type of meningitis caused by different bacteria such as Streptococcus pneumoniae, Group B Streptococcus, Neisseria meningitides, Haemophilus influenza, Listeria monocytogenes, and Escherichia coli. The typical symptoms of this condition may include painful, stiff neck, headaches, high fever, feeling confused, bruising easily, rash, and sensitivity to light. The complications from bacterial meningitis are seizures, irritability, vomiting, constant crying, stroke, focal deficit, poor feeding, and bulging fontanelle.

Bacterial meningitis can be diagnosed through physical examination, brain imaging, blood and urine tests, and a swab of fluids from the nose or throat. Furthermore, treatment options for bacterial meningitis may include antibiotics such as vancomycin, ampicillin, and corticosteroids.

What are the Similarities Between TB Meningitis and Bacterial Meningitis?

• Different bacteria cause both TB meningitis and bacterial meningitis.
• They may cause complications.
• Both conditions can be diagnosed through physical examination, blood tests, and imaging testing.
• They can be treated through specific antibiotics.

What is the Difference Between TB Meningitis and Bacterial Meningitis?

Mycobacterium tuberculosis is the causative bacterium of TB meningitis while different bacteria such as Streptococcus pneumoniae, Group B Streptococcus, Neisseria meningitides, Haemophilus influenza, Listeria monocytogenes, and Escherichia coli are the causative agents of bacterial meningitis. Thus, this is the key difference between TB meningitis and bacterial meningitis. Complications involving TB meningitis are neurological deficit and coma. On the other hand, complications involving bacterial meningitis are seizures, irritability, vomiting, constant crying, stroke, focal deficit, poor feeding, and bulging fontanelle.

The infographic below presents the differences between TB meningitis and bacterial meningitis in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.

FAQ: TB Meningitis and Bacterial Meningitis

What are the three stages of TB meningitis?

There are three stages by which TB meningitis is often described. They are stage 1 (alert), stage 2 (lethargy), and stage 3 (coma).

Can TB meningitis be transmitted?

TB can be transmitted to a person by inhaling droplets exhaled by someone with TB when they cough or sneeze.

What are the signs of bacterial meningitis?

Painful and stiff neck with limited range of motion, headaches, high fever, feeling confused or sleepy, bruising easily all over the body, a rash on the skin, and sensitivity to light are signs of bacterial meningitis.

Summary – TB Meningitis vs. Bacterial Meningitis

Meningitis is the inflammation of the fluid and three membranes surrounding the brain as well as the spinal cord. The most common causes of meningitis are viruses and bacteria. The other causes include cancer, fungi, and drug-induced reactions. Different bacteria cause both TB meningitis and bacterial meningitis. However, TB meningitis is caused only by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis while many different bacteria, including Streptococcus pneumoniae, Group B Streptococcus, Neisseria meningitides, Haemophilus influenza, Listeria monocytogenes, and Escherichia coli cause bacterial meningitis. So, this summarizes the difference between TB meningitis and bacterial meningitis.

Reference:

1. “TB Meningitis.” Meningitis Now.
2. “Bacterial Meningitis.” Cleveland Clinic.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Tuberculous leptomeningitis” By Dr. Yale Rosen Atlas of Pulmonary (CC BY-SA 2.0 DEED) via Flickr
2. “Meningitis bacteria (neisserai meningitidis)” By Vaccines at Sanofi (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 DEED) via Flickr