BCG vaccine of children with immunodeficiency, risk of vaccine associated complications 2022

[pattismith]

this article may be important for those that consider BCG to help with their ME/CFS...
Considering that my CD8 T lymphocytes are around 180/200 cells/mm3, I will not take this risk...

BCG Vaccine–associated Complications in a Large Cohort of C...: Ingenta Connect

Results:

Among 236 Combined Immuno Deficiencies patients, 127 were BCG vaccinated.

41.9% of patients with family history of CID and 17.1% who were diagnosed by screening were BCG vaccinated.

Twenty-three patients (18.1%) developed BCG-VACs.

The median age of VACs was 6 months and the median time from vaccination to complications was 6 months.

The highest rate of BCG-VACs was recorded in patients receiving the Russian BCG strain compared to the Tokyo and Danish strains.
Univariate analysis of T-lymphocyte subsets showed increased odds of BCG complications in patients with CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+ counts of ≤250 cells/µL.

Only CD8 + count ≤250 cells/µL had increased such odds on multivariate analysis.

VACs were disseminated in 13 and localized in 10 patients.

Localized complication occurred earlier after vaccination (median: 4 months) compared with disseminated ones (median: 7 months).

There were no significant associations between sex, administered vaccine strain, serum immunoglobulins levels, lymphocyte subsets counts, and the chance of having either localized or disseminated BCG-related complications.

Coclusions:

Although contraindicated, many patients with CID continue to be vaccinated with BCG.

Low CD8 + count is a risk factor for BCG–related complications and localized complications occurred earlier than disseminated ones.

Considerations should be undertaken by health care authorities especially in countries with high incidence of CID to implement newborn screening, delay the time of BCG vaccine administration beyond 6 months of age and to use the relatively safer strains like the Danish and Tokyo ones.

 

[cheeseater]

I was not aware children were getting a TB vaccine. Seems a bit excessive, even for "healthy" people. I mean whats the point unless you live in a place where TB is a problem, or travel a lot to such places? Not used much in the U.S.A.

 

[lenora]

Hi @cheeseater....Odd, as I've known two very highly unlikely candidates who developed TB. Unfortunately it is in this country once again.....and is one of the reasons doctors aren't willing to prescribe antibiotics for everything.

The problem with so many with TB is that they don't finish their antibiotics (which have to be taken for long periods of time) and if they don't, then the antibiotic isn't good for the next person who develops TB. We need new antibiotics as many diseases (including TB) are now antibiotic resistant. Maddening, isn't it?

My friends do take their antibiotics and will be on them for a long time to come. Where did the illnesses come from? Neither knows and no, they hadn't travelled. Odd, isn't it? Yours, Lenora

 

[cheeseater]

I think that type of vaccine is pretty tricky. There have been efforts to come up with a "valley fever" vaccine since 1960. Nothing for humans yet. The area affected with the spores causing valley fever is getting larger and larger as the atmosphere warms up.

 

[lenora]

One positive thing about getting older is the remembrance of a sign saying 'Quarantine' for so many common diseases of today. That meant that no one was to go in or out of the dwelling, groceries were left far enough away and the public health nurse determined when all was safe again.

When antibiotics were commonly used (penicillin being the first), it was like manna from heaven. Quarantine was no fun whatsoever, I remember it well over a few different diseases.

Perhaps we'd have more respect for these very things if we had to start using the signs once again. It's not something I want....but people travel, they visit far flung relations and there is very seldom a checkpoint at the airport. You may have a visitor in your neighborhood who is a carrier....and not even know it. Yours, Lenora
'

 

[junkcrap50]

I was not aware children were getting a TB vaccine. Seems a bit excessive, even for "healthy" people. I mean whats the point unless you live in a place where TB is a problem, or travel a lot to such places? Not used much in the U.S.A.

It's not given regularly in the US. But the BCG vaccine has been known to cure ME/CFS in some patients. So some ME/CFS patients try it as a hope/cure to help them. The BCG vaccine has been discovered to have wide range of unusual properties for many different diseases. Besides curing ME/cFS, for instance, it is also known to cure Type 1 Diabetes.

I think it's a pretty reasonable risk to take for curing ME/CFS (though this paper/post is new info and worth considering). I've thought about it as another treatment to check off the try list. But I don't even know where to get it / how available it is really.