Sunshine and Tuberculosis: Is There a Relationship?

What does a seasonal variation in TB incidence mean with regard to sun exposure and vitamin D status?

An estimated 9 million cases of tuberculosis occur each year, worldwide, with 1.7 million associated deaths. Vitamin D has been reported to contribute to host defenses against TB, and sun exposure is an important source of vitamin D. Investigators evaluated the relationship between fluctuations in sun exposure and incidence of TB in Birmingham, England.

From 1980 to 2010, 9739 new cases of pulmonary and extrapulmonary TB were reported. Reports of new cases were 24% higher in the summer than in the winter (95% confidence interval, 15.8–32.8; P<0.001). Winter dips in sunshine correlated with peaks in TB incidence 6 months later (4.7% increase in incidence for each 100 hours decrease in sunshine, P<0.001). This variation in seasonal incidence w…

Reviewing Author

Craig A. Elmets, MD

Disclosures

Consultant / Advisory board Astellas Pharmaceuticals

EquityVaxin

Grant / Research support NIH; NIH/NCI; Veteran’s Administration; Ferndale Laboratories; Kyowa Hakko Kirin Pharma, Inc.

Editorial boards Cancer Prevention Research; Photodermatology, Photoimmunology, & Photomedicine; UpToDate; eMedicine; Journal of Dermatological Sciences; JAMA Dermatology

Leadership positions in professional societies American Academy of Dermatology (Vice Chair, Committee on Science and Research); Photomedicine Society (Board of Directors)