Making BCG vaccination programmes safer in the HIV era
2008; Elsevier BV; Volume: 372; Issue: 9641 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1016/s0140-6736(08)61318-5
ISSN1474-547X
AutoresTippi K. Mak, Anneke C. Hesseling, Gregory Hussey, Mark F. Cotton,
Tópico(s)Child and Adolescent Health
ResumoSafer BCG programmes are well established but not where they are most needed. In most countries BCG has been a routine public-health intervention since the inception of the EPI in 1974. Wealthy countries such as the UK with a low burden of HIV and tuberculosis have already established policies to exclude HIV before BCG is given. Although a safe and selective policy for BCG vaccination on the basis of an infants HIV status should be implemented in poor countries action has not been forthcoming. Changes are now needed for what has been a routine childhood health practice for the past 30 years because of the HIV epidemic. Many experts are concerned that an alarm raised over BCG safety in HIV-infected children could damage the uptake of all immunisations. If EPI managers lead and support responsible adaptations to make BCG vaccination selective and safer public trust placed in childhood immunisations could grow even stronger. (excerpt)
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