Tuberculous meningitis initially manifesting as acute areflexic paraparesis: A case report.

KEY CLINICAL MESSAGE: TBM has a very high rate of adverse sequelae if not treated immediately. Diagnosing can be challenging due to overlapping symptoms with other disease processes, and diagnostic tests are often inconclusive.

ABSTRACT: A 20-year-old man experienced progressive paraplegia and urinary retention. After extensive laboratory and imaging evaluation for tuberculous meningitis and alternative diagnoses, spinal MRI showed features suggestive of arachnoiditis. He was treated empirically with anti-tuberculosis drugs and corticosteroids. This led to significant improvement and eventual recovery.