Pediatric tuberculosis (TB) is an underappreciated problem and accounts for 10 % of all TB deaths worldwide. Children are highly susceptible to infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis and interrupting TB spread would require the development of effective strategies to control TB transmission in pediatric populations. The current vaccine for TB, M. bovis Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG), can affor...

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) remains a global health challenge due to the limited efficacy of the Mtb vaccine in current use, Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG). To date, there is no available vaccine for immunocompromised individuals. Thus, there is an urgent need to develop a new vaccine candidate which can induce mucosal immunity in hosts with different immune statuses. DnaK (HSP70) has been...

The live attenuated bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine for the prevention of disease associated with Mycobacterium tuberculosis was derived from the closely related virulent tubercle bacillus, Mycobacterium bovis. Although the BCG vaccine has been one of the most widely used vaccines in the world for over 40 years, the genetic basis of BCG's attenuation has never been elucidated. We employe...

Background BCG vaccine may reduce overall mortality by increasing resistance to nontuberculosis infections. In 2 randomized trials in Guinea-Bissau of early BCG-Denmark (Statens Serum Institut) given to low-weight (LW) neonates (<2500 g at inclusion) to reduce infant mortality rates, we observed a very beneficial effect in the neonatal period. We therefore conducted the present trial to test wh...

Background and Objective: BCG vaccination is used in many countries with a high prevalence of TB to prevent childhood tuberculosis meningitis and miliary disease. Local and systemic sideeffects are associated with BCG vaccine. The most critical reaction is disseminated BCG infection which occurs in mostl...

Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) has been used for vaccination against tuberculosis for nearly a century. Here, we analyze immunity induced by a live tuberculosis vaccine candidate, recombinant BCG ΔureC::hly vaccine (rBCG), with proven preclinical and clinical safety and immunogenicity. We pursue in-depth analysis of the endogenous mycobacteria-specific CD4(+) T-cell population, comparing the mo...

Interleukin (IL)-17 is emerging as an important cytokine in vaccine-induced protection against tuberculosis disease in animal models. Here we show that compared to parenteral delivery, BCG delivered mucosally enhances cytokine production, including interferon gamma and IL-17, in the lungs. Furthermore, we find that cholera toxin, delivered mucosally along with BCG, further enhances IL-17 produc...

The bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine is the only licensed vaccine for human use against tuberculosis (TB). Although controversy exists about its efficacy, the BCG vaccine is able to protect newborns and children against disseminated forms of TB, but fails to protect adults against active forms of TB. In the last few years, interest in the mucosal delivery route for the vaccine has been in...

Pathologic diagnosis of Mycobacterium infection from bony specimens was recorded for 35 (92%) patients. For 29 (76%), diagnosis was conducted by molecular study, including 25 (66%) by the national reference mycobacterial laboratory. For 4 patients, diagnosis was confirmed by culture of M. bovis. Osteomyelitis/osteitis for 5 patients was considered BCG related according to pathologic diagnosis o...

The reported efficacy of BCG vaccine in preventing pulmonary tuberculosis varies from 0-80%; however, its efficacy in preventing tuberculous meningitis ranges from 52%-84%. A case-control study was conducted to assess the efficacy of BCG in preventing tuberculous meningitis in children. New cases of tuberculous meningitis, confirmed bacteriologically, were registered as cases. Controls were chi...