What is BCG vaccination?
Bacille calmette-geurin (BCG) Vaccination is a vaccine against tuberculosis commonly administered in countries with a high degree of tuberculosis. Vaccination is made of small amounts of live bacteria similar to bacteria that cause tuberculosis. People who infect tuberculosis after receiving BCG vaccination often get very quickly because the vaccine prevents the spread of bacteria of tuberculosis in the body.
BCG Vaccination has been used since 1921 and is very effective in checking tuberculosis. The study varies, but most research indicates the efficiency of between 56 and 80 percent and can be up to 100 percent when administration to young children. There are different types of BCG vaccination that are derived from different strains of mycobacterium bovis bacteria. This is particularly important or children in areas where tuberculosis is resistant to isoniazide and rifampin. Health workers may need vaccination if they are constantly exposed to tuberculosis and are likely to be infected.
Most individuals do not experience a negative response to BCG vaccine. The most common side effects of injection are muscle pain and the formation of small pustules near the injection site. These side effects are usually solved by themselves, but may take several months. Permanent scarring at the injection site is possible. While rare, some people develop infection for several months or years after vaccination, which can lead to bone lesions.
Some people should not get BCG vaccination for potential complications. It is not known whether the vaccine could damage the fetus in the uterus, so pregnant women should not obtain the vaccine. Because the vaccine carries a number of live bacteria, people with reduced immune system due to HIV or other health conditions or who have recently undergone organs transplantation should not be vaccinated because they could become extremely ill.
people who receive BCG vaccination can falsely test positive when they undergo tuberculosNew skin test. This can make it difficult for doctors to find out whether the individual is actually infected with tuberculosis or whether the reaction to the skin test is from vaccination. Blood tests for tuberculosis are more accurate in people who have been vaccinated because the vaccine does not cause false positive on the blood test.