To analyze the clinical and demographic features of patients with central nervous system (CNS) tuberculosis (TB) in the region of Caldas, Colombia, using geolocation mapping to identify epidemiological patterns.
CNS-TB is a rare but severe manifestation of tuberculosis associated with high morbidity and mortality. Despite one-third of the global population having latent TB infection, sociodemographic and epidemiological characteristics remain poorly characterized, even in areas with high incidence. Geographic information systems (GIS) offer a novel approach to integrating demographic and clinical data, enabling the visualization of disease clusters.
Five patients with CNS-TB were identified. The mean age was 47.2 years (range 25–62 years), three were men (60%), and two were women (40%). Clinical manifestations included an altered level of consciousness in two patients (40%), gait disturbance, mutism, and seizure. Three patients (60%) were part of the government-subsidized healthcare system, and two (40%) were part of the self-paid healthcare system. Four (80%) of the patients were from urban areas. Comorbid conditions were present in four patients (80%), including diabetes mellitus, systemic lupus erythematosus, hypertension, and hepatitis A virus infection. All patients required intensive care unit admission, and two patients died (40%).
CNS-TB in Caldas, Colombia, remains a serious health challenge with high morbidity and mortality. Geolocation mapping may potentially be useful for visualizing clinical and sociodemographic associations. The results of this study can serve as a resource for guiding health promotion and prevention strategies for other diseases of public health relevance that affect vulnerable populations.