BCG Vaccination

The BCG vaccine is derived from the Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) and is the most utilized vaccine in the history of humankind. Calmette and Guérin developed it in the Pasteur Institute from an original strain of Mycobacterium bovis.

The use of BCG vaccine is limited to the prevention of disseminated and meningeal TB, the most severe forms of the disease in children. BCG vaccination is recommended in countries or settings with a high incidence of TB. A single dose of BCG vaccine should be given to all healthy neonates at birth. The standard dose of BCG vaccine is 0.05 mL for infants aged less than one year and 0.1 mL for those aged one year and older. Studies have shown minimal or no evidence of additional benefits of repeat BCG vaccination against TB.

BCG vaccination is not recommended during pregnancy and it is contraindicated for individuals with immunodeficiency. HIV-infected children, when vaccinated with BCG at birth, are at increased risk of developing disseminated BCG disease.

An effective vaccine preventing pulmonary TB in adults is urgently needed but has long been considered by the TB community as an elusive goal. The slight decrease in the global incidence of TB and the rise in multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) are elements that show the critical state of the TB epidemic and emphasize the need for the development of new tools, including candidates for an effective vaccine.

Keywords: BCG, Disseminated disease, HIV, Meningitis, Vaccination.BCG, Disseminated disease, HIV, Meningitis, Vaccination.