HIV positive TB infection in brain

Tuberculosis brain abscesses (TBA) are an unusual clinical presentation of central nervous system tuberculosis occurring extremely infrequently in developed countries, and almost always in immunocompromised patients like in AIDS. Before the introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy, TBA was associated with a high mortality rate in AIDS patients. The HIV infected patient presenting with multiple TBA who recovered completely with a combination of HAART and anti-tuberculosis treatment. Current anti-tuberculous drugs are highly effective when treatment is initiated early, before the onset of altered mentation or focal neurologic deficits. Because the clinical outcome depends greatly on the stage at which therapy is initiated, early recognition is of paramount importance.