Faster, more accurate tests for tuberculosis in the brain (TB meningitis)
Official title: Determining the performance and accuracy of SILVAMP TB LAM and cost-effectiveness of diagnostic testing for TB meningitis
Funded at University of Minnesota · NIH-11397918 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project is testing a rapid LAM antigen test called FujiLAM on spinal fluid to help doctors find TB meningitis, especially in people with HIV.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Minnesota NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Minneapolis, United States) |
| Project start | June 21, 2022 |
| Project end | May 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $146,556 |
| NIH project number | 3R01AI170158-05S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11397918 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are people with suspected meningitis undergoing lumbar puncture, particularly people living with HIV or patients at hospitals in TB‑endemic regions like Sub‑Saharan Africa.
✕Less likely to help
People without suspected TB meningitis, those who cannot undergo lumbar puncture, or those already definitively diagnosed by other tests are unlikely to benefit directly.
What this research studies
If you have symptoms of meningitis, doctors will compare a rapid LAM antigen test (FujiLAM) on your cerebrospinal fluid with existing tests like Xpert Ultra, microscopy, and culture. Spinal fluid collected during routine lumbar puncture will be tested to see which methods detect TB meningitis and whether FujiLAM finds cases missed by other tests. The team will also study the costs and practical use of FujiLAM in hospitals with limited equipment, focusing on sites in Sub‑Saharan Africa and people living with HIV. Together these steps aim to show whether FujiLAM can speed up diagnosis and get people treated sooner.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could allow faster and more reliable diagnosis of TB meningitis so people receive lifesaving treatment sooner and with less disability.
How similar studies have gone: Small prior studies, including one showing about 50% sensitivity for FujiLAM in spinal fluid, suggested promise but larger confirmatory research is still needed.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bahr, Nathan — University of Minnesota
- Study coordinator: Bahr, Nathan
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Personalized Immunomodulatory Therapy for HIV-related Cryptococcal Meningitis
A patient-focused study investigates a personalized treatment approach to improve outcomes for people with HIV who develop cryptococcal meningitis.
-
Improving Diagnostics and Neurocognitive Outcomes in HIV/AIDS-related Meningitis
A study in Uganda aims to use faster, better tests and a new antifungal to help people with HIV who develop meningitis.
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TB meningitis diagnostic test compare and cost study in sub-Saharan Africa
Researchers are testing a new CSF urine-based test (SILVAMP TB LAM) to improve diagnosis of TB meningitis in people with HIV, to help speed treatment and reduce death in Sub-Saharan Africa.
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Minimally Invasive Sampling to Improve HIV-Associated M meningitis Diagnosis in Africa
A research study is testing easier, less invasive ways to diagnose meningitis in people living with HIV, with a focus on making diagnosis faster and more accurate in Africa and the US.
-
Understanding brain injury in kids with tuberculous meningitis (iThemba)
A study in children with TB meningitis in South Africa will look at how inflammation and blood-clotting factors relate to brain injury and infarcts.
-
Serological clues to survival in HIV-related cryptococcal meningitis
This grant looks for antibody signals in the blood that could predict who survives cryptococcal meningitis in people with HIV.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.