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.
