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

• Published in: Epidemiology and infection Vol. 141; no. 3; pp. 459 - 462
• Main Authors: VISSER, D. H., SCHOEMAN, J. F., VAN FURTH, A. M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01-03-2013
• Subjects: Bacterial diseases; Biological and medical sciences; Child, Preschool; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Human bacterial diseases; Humans; Incidence; Infant; Infectious diseases; Male; Medical sciences; Meningitis; Microbiology; Pathophysiology; Radiation; Retrospective Studies; Sea level; Seasons; Short Report; South Africa - epidemiology; Sunlight; Time Factors; Tuberculosis; Tuberculosis and atypical mycobacterial infections; Tuberculosis, Meningeal - epidemiology; Tuberculosis, Meningeal - etiology; Vitamin D; Vitamin D Deficiency - complications; Vitamin deficiency; Winter; South Africa; United States > US; Central nervous system infections; tuberculous meningitis; tuberculosis; Infection; Tuberculosis; Seasonal variation; Central nervous system disease; Bacteriosis; Mycobacterial infection; Epidemiology; Incidence; Tuberculous meningitis
• ISSN: 0950-2688; 1469-4409
• DOI: 10.1017/S0950268812001045

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.