SHORT REPORT: Seasonal variation in the incidence rate of tuberculous meningitis is associated with sunshine hours

Tuberculous meningitis (TBM) is a severe complication of tuberculosis and occurs mainly during early childhood. The incidence rate of TBM varies with season, and serum vitamin D levels, which are dependent on sunlight, might play a role. We studied the association between TBM incidence rate and hour...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inEpidemiology and infection Vol. 141; no. 3; pp. 459 - 462
Main Authors VISSER, D. H., SCHOEMAN, J. F., VAN FURTH, A. M.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Cambridge University Press 01.03.2013
Subjects
Central nervous system tuberculosis
Deficiency diseases
Meningeal tuberculosis
Meningitis
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Pediatrics
Solar radiation
Sunlight
Tuberculosis
Vitamin D
Vitamin D deficiency
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Summary:Tuberculous meningitis (TBM) is a severe complication of tuberculosis and occurs mainly during early childhood. The incidence rate of TBM varies with season, and serum vitamin D levels, which are dependent on sunlight, might play a role. We studied the association between TBM incidence rate and hours of sunshine in Cape Town, South Africa and found a significant association between the incidence rate of TBM and hours of sunshine 3 months earlier (incidence rate ratio per 100 sunshine hours 0·69, 95% confidence interval 0·54—0·88, P=0·002). The association supports the hypothesis that vitamin D might play a role in the pathophysiology of TBM. Further prospective studies in which vitamin D status is measured are necessary to determine causality.
ISSN:0950-2688
1469-4409