examination, protein and glucose quantification, cell
counts using a Neubauer counting chamber following
crystal violet staining, Gram-staining of centrifuged sediment,
and bacterial culture on blood and chocolate agar
for 72 hours. India-ink staining of centrifuged CSF,
cryptococcal antigen (CrAg) testing (Meridian Cryptococcal
Latex Agglutination System, Meridian Bioscience)
if India-ink negative, and fungal culture of all samples
on potato dextrose agar (PDA) slopes for 14 days were
carried out. TB microscopy (Auramine-flourescent stain
of the sediment when sufficient sample), liquid culture
in mycobacterial growth indicator tubes (MGIT, Becton-
Dickenson), Lowenstein-Jensen agar slopes if sufficient
sample, and TB-PCR (Genotype MTBDRplus, Hain Lifesciences)
on positive culture samples from MGIT were
performed in cases of suspected TB meningitis (TBM)
at the clinician’s request, or when CSF findings were
suggestive of TBM. In a limited number of cases TBPCR
was performed directly on CSF samples in an effort
to rapidly obtain drug susceptibility data. VDRL and
TPHA testing were carried out at the clinician’s request