BACKGROUND: The increase in the prevalence of allergic diseases in countries with a so-called western lifestyle may be due to a decrease in exposure to infectious agents in early life. OBJECTIVE: To establish the effect of Bacille-Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccination in 6-week-old high-risk infants in a prospective single-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial on the prevalence of allergic disease at the age of 4 and 18 months. METHODS:Subjects were 121 predominantly Caucasian high-risk newborns, having either a mother, or both a father and at least one sibling with past or present allergic disease. BCG or placebo was administered at the age of 6 weeks, and repeated once when both a post-vaccination scar and a positive TB skin test were absent at the age of 4 months. RESULTS: At the age of 18 months, the prevalence of allergic disease was not significantly different between the two groups. A trend towards less eczema (P=0.07) and significantly less use of medication for eczema was shown in the BCG group compared with the placebo group (P=0.04). CONCLUSION: A single (or once repeated) BCG vaccination in 6-week-old high-risk Caucasian infants was not associated with a 50% reduction in the prevalence of allergic disease. However, there could be a smaller beneficial effect of BCG, especially because a trend towards less eczema and significantly less use of medication for eczema was shown. For definite proof, a larger study should be carried out.
RCT Entities:
BACKGROUND: The increase in the prevalence of allergic diseases in countries with a so-called western lifestyle may be due to a decrease in exposure to infectious agents in early life. OBJECTIVE: To establish the effect of Bacille-Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccination in 6-week-old high-risk infants in a prospective single-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial on the prevalence of allergic disease at the age of 4 and 18 months. METHODS: Subjects were 121 predominantly Caucasian high-risk newborns, having either a mother, or both a father and at least one sibling with past or present allergic disease. BCG or placebo was administered at the age of 6 weeks, and repeated once when both a post-vaccination scar and a positive TB skin test were absent at the age of 4 months. RESULTS: At the age of 18 months, the prevalence of allergic disease was not significantly different between the two groups. A trend towards less eczema (P=0.07) and significantly less use of medication for eczema was shown in the BCG group compared with the placebo group (P=0.04). CONCLUSION: A single (or once repeated) BCG vaccination in 6-week-old high-risk Caucasian infants was not associated with a 50% reduction in the prevalence of allergic disease. However, there could be a smaller beneficial effect of BCG, especially because a trend towards less eczema and significantly less use of medication for eczema was shown. For definite proof, a larger study should be carried out.
Authors: Anna Gil; Laurie L Kenney; Rabinarayan Mishra; Levi B Watkin; Nuray Aslan; Liisa K Selin Journal: Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg Date: 2015-01 Impact factor: 2.184
Authors: Valerie Acm Koeken; L Charlotte J de Bree; Vera P Mourits; Simone Jcfm Moorlag; Jona Walk; Branko Cirovic; Rob Jw Arts; Martin Jaeger; Helga Dijkstra; Heidi Lemmers; Leo Ab Joosten; Christine S Benn; Reinout van Crevel; Mihai G Netea Journal: J Clin Invest Date: 2020-10-01 Impact factor: 14.808
Authors: Gladymar Perez Chacon; Jessica Ramsay; Christopher G Brennan-Jones; Marie J Estcourt; Peter Richmond; Patrick Holt; Tom Snelling Journal: Cochrane Database Syst Rev Date: 2021-09-06
Authors: Niyati Lobo; Nathan A Brooks; Alexandre R Zlotta; Jeffrey D Cirillo; Stephen Boorjian; Peter C Black; Joshua J Meeks; Trinity J Bivalacqua; Paolo Gontero; Gary D Steinberg; David McConkey; Marko Babjuk; J Alfred Witjes; Ashish M Kamat Journal: Nat Rev Urol Date: 2021-06-15 Impact factor: 14.432