Author(s):
Badrul Munir, Dewi Santosaningsih, Dwi Yuni Nur Hidayati, Tri Yudani Mardining Raras, Tommy Alfandy Nazwar, Sumarno Reto Prawiro, Shelby Amrus Ernanda, Fahimma Fahimma
Email(s):
badroel2007@ub.ac.id
DOI:
10.52711/0974-360X.2026.00306 
Address:
Badrul Munir1, Dewi Santosaningsih2, Dwi Yuni Nur Hidayati3, Tri Yudani Mardining Raras4, Tommy Alfandy Nazwar5, Sumarno Reto Prawiro2, Shelby Amrus Ernanda1, Fahimma Fahimma1
1Neurology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Brawijaya University – Dr. Saiful Anwar General Hospital, Malang 65111, Indonesia.
2Department of Clinical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Brawijaya University, Malang 65145, Indonesia.
3Department of Clinical Microbiology, Dr. Saiful Anwar General Hospital, Malang 65111, Indonesia.
4Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Brawijaya University, Malang 65145, Indonesia.
5Department of Neurosurgery, Faculty of Medicine, Brawijaya University – Dr. Saiful Anwar General Hospital, Malang 65145, Indonesia.
*Corresponding Author
Published In:
Volume - 19,
Issue - 5,
Year - 2026
ABSTRACT:
The diagnosis of tuberculous meningitis (TBM) continues to pose significant difficulties owing to the inherent constraints of presently available diagnostic techniques. This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic potential of Antigen 38-kDa (Ag38) detection in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) using recombinant antibodies. This cross-sectional study enrolled 36 participants at Saiful Anwar General Hospital, Indonesia: 12 culture-confirmed TBM patients, 12 clinically-diagnosed TBM patients, and 12 non-TBM controls. CSF samples were analyzed using ELISA with recombinant Ag38 antibodies as primary antibodies and both IgM and IgG as secondary antibodies. Diagnostic performance was assessed through sensitivity, specificity, and ROC curve analysis. As a result, using IgG as secondary antibody, CSF Ag38 levels were significantly higher in culture-confirmed TBM (0.589 ± 0.147) and clinically-diagnosed TBM (0.579 ± 0.158) compared to controls (0.402 ± 0.036) (P = 0.004). Using an optimal cutoff threshold of 0.444, IgG-based detection demonstrated 83.3% sensitivity and 91.7% specificity, achieving a positive predictive value of 90.1% and a negative predictive value of 84.6%. ROC analysis demonstrated excellent diagnostic performance with AUC of 0.854 (P = 0.004). Detection of Ag38 in CSF using recombinant antibodies, particularly with IgG as secondary antibody, shows promising diagnostic potential for TBM. This method could serve as a valuable addition to the current diagnostic arsenal for TBM.
Cite this article:
Badrul Munir, Dewi Santosaningsih, Dwi Yuni Nur Hidayati, Tri Yudani Mardining Raras, Tommy Alfandy Nazwar, Sumarno Reto Prawiro, Shelby Amrus Ernanda, Fahimma Fahimma. Detection of Antigen 38-kDa in Cerebrospinal Fluid using Recombinant Antibody as a Novel Diagnostic Test for Tuberculous Meningitis. Research Journal Pharmacy and Technology. 2026;19(5):2128-2. doi: 10.52711/0974-360X.2026.00306
Cite(Electronic):
Badrul Munir, Dewi Santosaningsih, Dwi Yuni Nur Hidayati, Tri Yudani Mardining Raras, Tommy Alfandy Nazwar, Sumarno Reto Prawiro, Shelby Amrus Ernanda, Fahimma Fahimma. Detection of Antigen 38-kDa in Cerebrospinal Fluid using Recombinant Antibody as a Novel Diagnostic Test for Tuberculous Meningitis. Research Journal Pharmacy and Technology. 2026;19(5):2128-2. doi: 10.52711/0974-360X.2026.00306 Available on: https://rjptonline.org/AbstractView.aspx?PID=2026-19-5-27
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