WHERE CAN I GET MORE INFORMATION?
US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease
http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/
US National Library of Medicine
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/
References:
BCG vaccine. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/tb/pubs/tbfactsheets/bcg.htm . Accessed February 6, 2007.
Kaufmann SH, Hussey G, Lambert PH. New vaccines for tuberculosis. Lancet. 2010 Jun 12;375(9731):2110-9.
Pediatric tuberculosis fact sheet. American Lung Association website. Available at: http://www.lungusa.org/site/pp.asp?c=dvLUK9O0Eb=35778 . Accessed February 6, 2007.
Questions and answers about TB. US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/nchstp/tb/faqs/qa_introduction.htm#Intro1 . Accessed February 6, 2007.
Rouanet C, Locht C. Boosting BCG to protect against TB. Expert Rev Respir Med. 2010 Jun;4(3):339-48.
Tuberculosis , or TB, is a bacterial infection caused by the Mycobacterium tuberculosisbacterium. The bacteria typically infect the lungs, but they can infect other areas of the body, like the kidney, spine, or brain.
TB is spread from the lungs of a person with TB through coughing. When a person coughs or sneezes, the bacteria travel into the air and may be inhaled by a person standing nearby. TB is most commonly spread through repeated contact, such as within a family. However, short-term exposure can also cause TB.
Children are at increased risk of getting TB. Because of these risks, preventing TB through vaccination is very important to children’s health in countries where TB is common
At one point, TB was the leading cause of death in the US. As treatments were developed, the rates began to drop. Today, there are many fewer cases.
TB is still a major health problem throughout the world, particularly in Africa. This is largely due to the high number of people with AIDS . They are at a higher risk of getting TB.
Symptoms depend on where the bacteria have settled and grown in the body. The lungs are frequently infected. Symptoms of TB infection in the lungs include:
TB can usually be treated successfully with antibiotics. Without treatment, the disease is often fatal.
The Bacille Calmette-Guerin vaccine, or BCG, prevents TB.
The vaccine contains live, weakened bacteria. It is given as shot in the muscle.
You should not get the vaccine if you:
Because TB is airborne, prevention of airborne transmission is important.
Containing the virus depends on giving antibiotics and isolating people who are infected. It is important to take all of the antibiotics to eliminate the bacteria and to avoid spreading it to others.
The following individuals should be considered for vaccination:
The vaccine is usually given once. It may be given twice in some cases.
The vaccine may cause a TB skin test to have a false-positive reading. This means that you may test positive for TB even though you do not have it. Blood tests are available to check for TB infection that are not affected by previous BCG vaccination.
Common side effects of the vaccine include:
More serious side effects may occur and could lead to serious illness or death.
Symptoms of an allergic reaction (eg, rash, trouble breathing) require medical care right away.
