Epidemiology of tuberculosis and levels of vitamin D in Australia: person, place and time

MacLachlan, Jennifer H; Cowie, Benjamin C

doi:10.5694/mja13.10478

Topics

To the Editor: We recently reported the impact of latitude on seasonality of tuberculosis in Australia, with greater cyclic variation in southern parts of the continent.1 We hypothesise that this seasonality is partly determined by differences in ultraviolet radiation exposure and subsequent vitamin D synthesis.1-3

WHO Regional Reference Laboratory for Hepatitis B, Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory, Melbourne, VIC.

Correspondence: benjamin.cowie@mh.org.au

Competing interests:

No relevant disclosures.

1. MacLachlan JH, Lavender CJ, Cowie BC. Effect of latitude on seasonality of tuberculosis, Australia, 2002–2011. Emerg Infect Dis 2012; 18: 1879-1881.
2. Boyages S, Bilinski K. Seasonal reduction in vitamin D level persists into spring in NSW Australia: implications for monitoring and replacement therapy. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf) 2012; 77: 515-523.
3. Nowson CA, McGrath JJ, Ebeling PR, et al. Vitamin D and health in adults in Australia and New Zealand: a position statement. Med J Aust 2012; 196: 686-687. <MJA full text>
4. Vanlint SJ, Morris HA, Newbury JW, Crockett AJ. Vitamin D insufficiency in Aboriginal Australians. Med J Aust 2011; 194: 131-134. <MJA full text>
5. McBryde ES, Denholm JT. Risk of active tuberculosis in immigrants: effects of age, region of origin and time since arrival in a low-exposure setting. Med J Aust 2012; 197: 458-461. <MJA full text>
6. Ralph AP, Lucas RM, Norval M. Vitamin D and solar ultraviolet radiation in the risk and treatment of tuberculosis. Lancet Infect Dis 2013; 13: 77-88.

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