The Ability of a 3-Gene Host Signature in Blood to Distinguish Tuberculous Meningitis From Other Brain Infections.
Huynh J., Nhat LHT., Bao NLH., Hai HT., Thu DDA., Tram TTB., Dung VTM., Vinh DD., Ngoc NM., Donovan J., Phu NH., Van Thanh D., Thu NTA., Bang ND., Ha DTM., Nghia HDT., Van Tan L., Van LH., Thwaites G., Thuong NTT.
BackgroundTuberculous meningitis (TBM) is difficult to diagnose. We investigated whether a 3-gene host response signature in blood can distinguish TBM from other brain infections.MethodsThe expression of 3 genes (dual specificity phosphatase 3 [DUSP3], guanylate-binding protein [GBP5], krupple-like factor 2 [KLF2]) was analyzed by RNA sequencing of archived whole blood from 4 cohorts of Vietnamese adults: 281 with TBM, 279 with pulmonary tuberculosis, 50 with other brain infections, and 30 healthy controls. Tuberculosis scores (combined 3-gene expression) were calculated following published methodology and discriminatory performance compared using area under a receiver operator characteristic curve (AUC).ResultsGBP5 was upregulated in TBM compared to other brain infections (P < .001), with no difference in DUSP3 and KLF2 expression. The diagnostic performance of GBP5 alone (AUC, 0.74; 95% confidence interval [CI], .67-.81) was slightly better than the 3-gene tuberculosis score (AUC, 0.66; 95% CI, .58-.73) in TBM. Both GBP5 expression and tuberculosis score were higher in participants with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV; P < .001), with good diagnostic performance of GBP5 alone (AUC, 0.86; 95% CI, .80-.93).ConclusionsThe 3-gene host signature in whole blood has the ability to discriminate TBM from other brain infections, including in individuals with HIV. Validation in large prospective diagnostic study is now required.