Bcg vaccine when was it discovered

This also cast doubts on the safety of BCG. Seventy two of the children developed TB and died within a year as a result of the disease. A subsequent investigation carried out by German TB experts, revealed that the vaccine had become contaminated with the distinct virulent human strain during its preparation at a local laboratory.

Although the BCG vaccine itself was eventually exonerated as the cause of the Lubeck disaster, its use declined for several years afterwards. Particularly in England a number of people felt that:. Fears have been expressed that a virulent strain of bacilli, when injected into the human body, might regain its virulence.

These fears though were to prove unfounded, and eventually, with a resurgence of TB during the second world war, the BCG vaccine was again used on a massive scale and public confidence in its safety was restored. The BCG vaccine was disseminated throughout the world in the late s, and then each country maintained its own supply.

At these other laboratories BCG was propagated in the same conditions as at the Pasteur Institute, and with the same aims. July 18, , marks an important anniversary in the history of infectious disease and vaccines—on July 18, , the tuberculosis vaccine was first given to a human. BCG is a weakened form of a tuberculosis bacterium that causes the disease in cows. Benjamin Weill-Hall , French pediatrician and bacteriologist, fed the vaccine to an infant in Paris who were at risk for the disease in this first use of the vaccine.

Albert Calmette had acquired the Mycobacterium bovis strain of tuberculosis, which had been isolated from the milk of an infected cow, in Their immediate goal was to weaken the bacteria to the point where they could no longer kill a guinea pig. In the end, the researchers hoped to produce an attenuated strain of the bacillus that would safely confer immunity to an uninfected human host. It would be 13 years before they saw the fruits of their efforts.

Intradermal injected BCG vaccine began to be used in ; this became the most common mode of delivery of the vaccine. Today, BCG vaccine is not routinely used in the United States, but is given to about million children worldwide each year. The vaccine does not prevent primary tuberculosis infection though it does protect children from certain severe forms of tuberculosis. More than 9. Research has suggested that vaccination with BCG could help protect against or delay the progression of Buruli ulcer.

Cancer immunotherapy BCG is the most commonly used immunotherapy for early-stage bladder cancer. Since , the vaccine has been used as standard of care for the disease, often injected directly into the bladder after surgery to prevent cancer cells from growing or returning there. The vaccine is also being investigated as a potential therapy for colorectal cancers.

Type 1 diabetes Early research has indicated that BCG could hold promise as a potential treatment for autoimmune diseases such as type 1 diabetes. Additional findings from this year showed, among other results, that BCG was particularly effective in reducing HbA1c levels in participants aged under 21 years.

Who should have the vaccine? The main risk groups for TB are: Babies and children under 5 who live in an area of the UK with a high rate of TB more than 40 cases of TB per year for every , people. In some areas of London, for example, all newborn babies are recommended to have the BCG vaccine.

Having a parent or grandparent who was born in a country where there is a high rate of TB Living for three months or more in a country where is a high rate of TB Being in close contact for a prolonged period with someone who has pulmonary TB TB affecting the lungs Babies and children under 16 in any of these risk groups will usually be offered the BCG vaccine.

Apart from the active ingredients the antigens , the vaccine also contains small amounts of the following ingredients: sodium, potassium and magnesium salts glycerol, a common non-toxic stabiliser also used in foods citric acid Other brands of BCG vaccine used in other countries may contain different ingredients. Side effects. Very common side effect affecting 9 out of 10 people : Hardness at the injection site, followed by a raised blister.

Uncommon side effects affecting up to 1 in people at each dose : Headache and a raised temperature fever An ulcer which develops from the blister at the injection site, two to six weeks after injection. This may be painful and take several weeks or months to heal fully. Swelling of lymph nodes in the armpit larger than 1 cm across An enlarged lymph node that becomes infected lymphadenitis Rare side effects affecting up to 1 in people at each dose : More severe skin reactions.

These usually heal within a few weeks. Bone inflammation osteitis or osteomyelitis An abscess at the injection site Anaphylaxis As with any vaccine, medicine or food, there is a very small chance of a severe allergic reaction anaphylaxis. More information about the vaccine. Page last updated:. Monday, September 9, Other vaccines in this category. Hepatitis B Vaccine.