Advancing Earlier Diagnosis of Childhood TB Meningitis

The challenge

Tuberculous meningitis (TBM) is the most severe and deadly form of tuberculosis in children, posing a particularly serious threat in high-burden settings where access to specialised healthcare is limited. The consequences are devastating: around half of affected children die or are left with lifelong neurological complications, making early diagnosis essential. Yet, identifying the disease remains challenging because symptoms are often non-specific and existing diagnostic methods are complex, laboratory-dependent and not readily available where they are needed most.

The solution

To address this challenge, PRECISE-TBM brings together leading research institutions and industry partners from Africa and Europe to develop faster, more accessible diagnostic tools for childhood TBM. Building on years of biomarker research, the project is advancing innovative point-of-care tests that can support healthcare workers in diagnosing the disease more quickly and accurately.

The consortium is pursuing two complementary approaches. Two prototype tests based on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), developed through previous research, will be evaluated in hospitals across South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe. At the same time, PRECISE-TBM is developing a new blood-based test that could provide a simpler diagnostic alternative and expand access to rapid TBM diagnosis in a wider range of healthcare settings. Alongside the clinical evaluation, researchers will also investigate immune and genetic factors that may influence disease development and diagnostic accuracy.