BCG vaccine can prevent TB?

Children benefit from the BCG

BCG vaccine is a viable non-toxic, can prevent occurrence of tuberculosis, particularly on the prevention of child miliary tuberculosis and the effectiveness of tuberculous meningitis is particularly evident. This is a lot of practice has proved that also recognized by all.

Newborns for various diseases, including tuberculosis resistant bad, because anti-TB-specific immune cells from the mother can not bring babies, so once infected with TB, it is prone to blood disseminated, the attendant will Is miliary tuberculosis and tuberculous meningitis. The two most serious TB mortality is also the highest. BCG vaccine can prevent blood Disseminated Mycobacterium tuberculosis, prevention of tuberculosis and miliary tuberculosis meningitis with special effects. Some adhere to the vaccination, children aged 0 -4 tuberculous meningitis almost extinct, no children under the age of 14 because of a TB deaths. Therefore, the normal development of newly born babies on the BCG vaccination for TB prevention works best.

Do not struggle to BCG

BCG vaccination should not, has been a long-term international controversial issues, many scholars have a different view. TB infection in high-risk countries or regions, in order to prevent children and reduce the incidence of TB TB mortality, long-term BCG vaccination can play a big role. WHO also believes that so far at the BCG tuberculosis control measures.

However, the role of BCG has its limitations, such as the adult role on the prevention of TB weak. Control of TB is the most effective weapons found patients cured sputum smear-positive tuberculosis patients, rather than the BCG vaccination. BCG tuberculosis and primary prevention can only be negative sputum TB, can not change its popularity.

World Health Organization, TB in a low-prevalence countries (or regions) to consider suspension of BCG vaccination, must meet the following criteria: ① three years ago, sputum smear positive tuberculosis patients in an average registration rate should be 5 / 100,000 population or less; ② more than five years ago, five children under the age of tubercular meningitis, the average registration rate should be lower than the total population of 1 / 10000000; ③ tuberculosis infection rate should average 0.1 percent or less.

China's global tuberculosis epidemic is the high country, and a far cry from the above criteria, it can not suspend the near future not only BCG vaccination, but also to strengthen. In 1999 the National Tuberculosis Control Manual, the BCG vaccination target for the newborn, at the latest within one year of inoculation.

The new vaccine coming soon

In view of BCG there are still many "birth defects" in the world, TB is in a state of emergency today in many countries is stepping up efforts to develop a new generation of more effective anti-tuberculosis vaccine.

20 in the early 1990s a new generation of DNA (genes) vaccine, has made breakthrough progress in the United States in 1996 Merck (MerCH) company with a gene (known nudity DNA-deoxyribonucleic acid) created a vaccine. The same year, Germany UIM University of mice vaccinated 85 antigen encoding the quality of construction of nuclear DNA, was a notable effect of preventing TB. It is learnt that in 1996 the United States has introduced AIDS, influenza, the virus simply Paozhen DNA vaccine, hepatitis B and tuberculosis in 1997 DNA vaccine has been submitted for approval audit. A new generation of highly effective anti-tuberculosis vaccine development if successful, will greatly accelerate the pace of TB control.