How effective is the BCG vaccine?

BCG vaccination given to babies and young children provides consistent protection (up to 80%) against severe forms of childhood TB, such as TB meningitis. It can be less effective against TB affecting the lungs in adults. The protection from the BCG vaccine can last up to 15 years.

Does BCG last for life?

The authors conclude that single dose BCG vaccination can give protection for up to 60 years.

What are the effects of tuberculosis?

The general symptoms of TB disease include feelings of sickness or weakness, weight loss, fever, and night sweats. The symptoms of TB disease of the lungs also include coughing, chest pain, and the coughing up of blood. Symptoms of TB disease in other parts of the body depend on the area affected.

Does BCG weaken your immune system?

BCG is a commonly used vaccine against tuberculosis (TB) and contains bacteria from the same family as TB bacteria. This bacterium has been altered to reduce the risk of infection whilst retaining the ability to stimulate the immune system sufficiently for its beneficial effect.

What happens if BCG is given twice?

There is no proven benefit of repeated BCG vaccination against TB. This also applies to revaccination of BCG-vaccinated individuals who remain negative by subsequent tuberculin testing. In the absence of a scar in children in high-burden countries, BCG vaccination is indicated.

Do they still give smallpox vaccine?

It was successfully used to eradicate smallpox from the human population. Routine vaccination of the American public against smallpox stopped in 1972 after the disease was eradicated in the United States.

Why is BCG given in left arm?

The vaccine is given just under the skin (intradermally), usually in the left upper arm. This is the recommended site, so that small scar left after vaccination can be easily found in the future as evidence of previous vaccination.

When do side effects of BCG start?

Symptoms of bladder irritability are reported in approximately 50% of patients receiving TheraCys and typically begin 4-6 hours after instillation and last 24-72 hours. The irritative reactions usually are seen following the third instillation and tend to increase in severity after each administration.

Is BCG a form of chemotherapy?

Bacillus Calmette-Guerin or BCG is the most common intravesical immunotherapy for treating early-stage bladder cancer. It’s used to help keep the cancer from growing and to help keep it from coming back. BCG is a germ that’s related to the one that causes tuberculosis (TB), but it doesn’t usually cause serious disease.