AUTHOR=Navasardyan Inesa , Abdou Alexander , Kades Samuel , Misakyan Yura , Ochsner Jacob , Subbian Selvakumar , Venketaraman Vishwanath 

TITLE=Tuberculosis meningitis coexisting with HIV Infection: a comprehensive review

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Tuberculosis

VOLUME=1

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/tuberculosis/articles/10.3389/ftubr.2023.1242869

DOI=10.3389/ftubr.2023.1242869

ISSN=2813-7868

ABSTRACT=<p><italic>Mycobacterium tuberculosis</italic> (<italic>Mtb</italic>) is the causative agent of tuberculosis (TB) in humans, Although <italic>Mtb</italic> is primarily considered a respiratory pathogen, its ability to spread to and affect the central nervous system (CNS) is of particular interest due to its clinical importance. Tuberculosis meningitis (TBM) is described as the manifestation of <italic>Mtb</italic> infection in the meninges, leading to inflammation and disease. Individuals with a weakened immune system, particularly those infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), are more susceptible to both pulmonary and extrapulmonary <italic>Mtb</italic> infection. HIV infection leads to a gradual depletion of CD4 T-cells, severely impairing the host's immune response against pathogens and, thus, predisposes one to several opportunistic infections, including <italic>Mtb</italic>. Herein, we discuss the current knowledge, potential therapeutic agents, and mechanisms of action and describe various <italic>in vivo</italic> and <italic>in vitro</italic> models that may be used to study TBM coexisting with HIV infection.</p>