African immigrants with low levels of vitamin D are much more likely to be infected with tuberculosis, a finding that suggests the vitamin may help prevent and treat TB, Australian researchers said on Monday.

Their study of all 375 African immigrants treated at one Melbourne hospital showed that those who had low vitamin D levels were far more likely to have TB infections than those with adequate levels.

They found moderate to severe vitamin D deficiency in 78 percent of patients with past or present tuberculosis.

"Low vitamin D levels are associated with an increased likelihood of primary infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis and also, once infected, are associated with increased likelihood of having active TB," Dr. Katherine Gibney of the Royal Melbourne Hospital said in a statement. See Vitamin D may help fight tuberculosis, study finds for the full report.