Interventions for Tuberculosis Control and Elimination 2002

Protection conferred by BCG vaccination of children over one year of age
Only three protective studies of BCG vaccination of older children are available
(figure 64). 763-768 All three showed a very low level of protection, of
less than 30%. In Chingleput, south India, where BCG gave little or no
protection, there was a tendency to provide some protection in children
below the age of 15 years, but a similar tendency towards harm (more cases
in the vaccinated than the non-vaccinated) in older persons (figure 65). 765
Puerto Rico
Chingleput
Madanapelle
-400 -100 0 30 50 80 90 95
Per cent protection
111
Children, any form
Children, pulmonary
culture confirmed
Children, any form
Figure 64. Results from prospective studies on the efficacy of BCG vaccination
against tuberculosis in children other than infants. 763-768
Harm / protection (%)
20
0
-20
Protection
Harm
0 5 15 25 35 45
Age group (years)
Figure 65. Protection from BCG vaccination by age, Chingleput, India. 765