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Publications

Journal Article Epublish 40 citations

PubMed: 35214772 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10020314

A Multi-Center, Randomised, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Phase III Clinical Trial Evaluating the Impact of BCG Re-Vaccination on the Incidence and Severity of SARS-CoV-2 Infections among Symptomatic Healthcare Professionals during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Poland-First Results.

Vaccines (Basel) 10(2)

Authors: Hanna Czajka, Paweł Zapolnik, Łukasz Krzych, Wojciech Kmiecik, Lidia Stopyra, Anna Nowakowska, Teresa Jackowska, Dorota Darmochwał-Kolarz, Henryk Szymański, Igor Radziewicz-Winnicki, Artur Mazur

Affiliations

  • College of Medical Sciences, University of Rzeszów, 35-315 Rzeszów, Poland.
  • Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Therapy, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Medical University of Silesia, 40-055 Katowice, Poland.
  • St. Louis Provincial Specialist Children's Hospital, 31-503 Kraków, Poland.
  • Department of Infectious Diseases and Paediatrics, Stefan Żeromski Specialist Hospital, 31-913 Kraków, Poland.
  • Medical Diagnostics Laboratory, Regional Sanitary-Epidemiological Station, College of Medical Sciences, University of Rzeszów, 35-315 Rzeszów, Poland.
  • Blessed Jerzy Popiełuszko Bielany Hospital, 01-809 Warsaw, Poland.
  • Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, St. Queen Jadwiga Regional Teaching Hospital No. 2, College of Medical Sciences, University of Rzeszów, 35-315 Rzeszów, Poland.
  • Saint Hedwig of Silesia Hospital, 55-100 Trzebnica, Poland.
  • Transfiguration of the Lord Praga Hospital, 03-401 Warsaw, Poland.

Abstract

Tuberculosis vaccines (Bacillus Calmette-Guérin, BCG) were introduced 100 years ago and are still recommended by the World Health Organization to prevent the disease. Studies have shown that BCG vaccination can stimulate non-specific immune responses and reduce the incidence of certain diseases. At the beginning of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, it was hypothesised that the incidence of COVID-19 was lower in countries with BCG prevention. In an attempt to verify this thesis, we conducted a multicenter, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study on a group of 695 health care workers aged 25 years and over in Poland. All participants in the study had a tuberculin test, after which those who were negative were randomised (1:1) and received either the BCG- or placebo vaccine. From then on, these people were subjected to three months of observation for the occurrence of COVID-19 symptoms. The statistical analysis did not reveal any significant correlation between the frequency of incidents suspected of COVID-19 and BCG-10 vaccination, the result of the tuberculin test and the number of scars. The only statistically significant feature was the type of medical profession-nurses became infected more often than doctors or other medical workers ( = 0.02). The results differ from similar trials in other countries. Perhaps this is due to the lack of an unvaccinated control group. The impact of BCG vaccination on the course of COVID-19 requires further research.

MeSH

Sars-Cov-2, Vaccines, Incidence, Tuberculin Test, Multiple Chronic Conditions, Vaccination, Covid-19, Pandemics, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Related Coronavirus, Tuberculin, Infections

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