The relationship between seasonality, latitude and tuberculosis notifications in Pakistan

Pakistan ranks amongst the top 20 highest burden tuberculosis (TB) countries in the world. Approximately 369,548 cases of TB (all forms) were notified in 2018, with an estimated incidence of 265 per 100,000 people per year. In other settings, TB has been shown to demonstrate seasonal variation, with higher incidence in the spring/summer months and lower incidence in the autumn/winter; the amplitude of seasonal variation has also been reported to be higher with increasing distance from the equator.

Notifications of newly-diagnosed pulmonary and extrapulmonary TB cases were obtained for 139 districts in Pakistan from 2011 to 2017. Data were provided by the Pakistan National TB Control Programme, Islamabad, Pakistan. Statistical analyses were performed to determine whether there was seasonal variation in TB notifications in Pakistan; whether the amplitude of seasonal variation in TB notifications varied according to latitude; whether the amplitude of seasonal variation of TB in Pakistan differed between extrapulmonary TB vs. pulmonary TB. To assess the quarterly seasonality of TB, we used the X-13-ARIMA-SEATS seasonal adjustment programme from the United States Census Bureau. The mean difference and corresponding 95% confidence intervals of seasonal amplitudes between different latitudes and clinical phenotype of TB were estimated using linear regression.

TB notifications were highest in quarter 2, and lowest in quarter 4. The mean amplitude of seasonal variation was 25.5% (95% CI 25.0 to 25.9%). The mean seasonal amplitude of TB notifications from latitude 24.5°N- < 26.5°N was 29.5% (95% CI 29.3 to 29.7%) whilst the mean seasonal amplitude of TB notifications from latitude 34.5°N - < 36.5°N was 21.7% (95% CI 19.6 to 23.9%). The mean seasonal amplitude of TB notifications across Pakistan between latitudes 24.5°N to 36.5°N reached statistically significant difference (p < 0.001). The amplitude of seasonal variation was greater for extrapulmonary TB (mean seasonal amplitude: 32.6, 95% CI 21.4 to 21.8%) vs. smear positive pulmonary TB mean seasonal amplitude: 21.6, 95% CI 32.1 to 33.1%), p < 0.001.

TB notifications in Pakistan exhibit seasonal variation with a peak in quarter 2 (April–June) and trough in quarter 4 (October–December). The amplitude of seasonality decreases with increasing latitude, and is more pronounced for extrapulmonary than for pulmonary TB.