We’re delighted to share that TBCRE Associate Investigator Professor Jan-Willem Alffenaar is a co-author of the newly published paper, A Clinical Practice Guideline for Tuberculous Meningitis, featured in The Lancet Infectious Diseases.

This international guideline, the first of its kind, provides evidence-based recommendations for diagnosing and treating tuberculous meningitis (TBM), a severe form of tuberculosis with high mortality and disability rates. Professor Alffenaar contributed to the chemotherapy working group, helping shape guidance on drug dosing and treatment strategies, particularly for drug-resistant TBM.

Key recommendations include:

• Use of Xpert Ultra PCR and mycobacterial culture for diagnosis

• Corticosteroids strongly recommended for patients without HIV; conditional use for those with HIV

• Standard rifampicin dosing remains recommended; higher doses are under investigation

• A 6-month high-dose regimen is acceptable for children, while adults should receive 12 months of treatment

Congratulations to Professor Alffenaar on this great achievement! Click here to read the paper.​