HOME / PUBLICATIONS /

Vitamin D deficiency is associated with tuberculosis infection among household contacts in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Citation:

Ulziijargal Gurjav, Munkhzaya Ankhbat, Gantungalag Ganbaatar, Khulan Batjargal, Batbayar Ochirbat, Delgerekh Baigal, Badamtsetseg Jargalsaikhan, Oyunsuren Munkhjargal, Sunjidmaa Bolormaa, Narankhuu Yansanjav, Narangerel Luvsanyandan, Gantserseg Dorj, Naranzul Dambaa, Sabri Bromage, and Davaasambuu Ganmaa. 1/24/2019. “Vitamin D deficiency is associated with tuberculosis infection among household contacts in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.” International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, 23, 8, Pp. 919–923. Publisher's Version
PDF218 KB

Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Vitamin D deficiency (VDD) is a known risk factor for tuberculous infection. We investigated if VDD is a risk factor for tuberculous infection among the household contacts (HHCs) of patients with tuberculosis (TB) in Mongolia.

MATERIALS AND METHOD: All HHCs of TB patients diagnosed in Khan-Uul District, Mongolia, were enrolled. The serum level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] was detected and TB infection determined using QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus (QFT-Plus). A tuberculin skin test (TST) reading .10 mm was considered to be positive. Epidemiological and bacteriological data were collected from routine surveillance of the National Tuberculosis Programme.

RESULTS: Among study participants, 48.2% (135/285) were QFT-Plus-positive. Of QFT-positive HHCs, 77.0% (104/135) were TST-positive and the overall concordance of tests was low (j 0.374, P , 0.001). A low serum level of 25(OH)D was an independent predictor for QFT-Plus positivity (P , 0.001). CD8þ T-cell stimulation measured by QFT-Plus had borderline association with the serum level of 25(OH)D (P ¼ 0.089).

CONCLUSION: We showed a high rate of TB infection among HHCs in Mongolia. QFT-Plus could decrease the number of people requiring TB preventive treatment, in addition to aiding detection of new TB infection. A low serum level of vitamin D was an independent predictor of TB infection, but not a predictor of stimulation of CD8þ T cells.

KEY WORDS: VDD; latent tuberculous infection; CD8þ T-cell stimulation; tuberculin skin test

Last updated on 10/17/2020