Trial of BCG vaccines in south India for tuberculosis prevention
Indian Journal of Medical Research 70: 349-363
1979
ISSN/ISBN: 0019-5340 PMID: 535944 Document Number: 499209
The protective effect of BCG vaccination is being evaluated in a controlled community trial near Madras in south India. After tuberculin and sensitin testing and radiographic anbd bacteriological examination, BCG vaccines and placebo were allocated randomly to about 260,000 individuals, of whom 115,000 were definitely tuberculin-negative at the time of vaccination. Intensive efforts are being made, through regular follow-up surveys, to identify all new cases of tuberculosis occurring in the community. This report presents findings of the first 7.5 yr of follow-up. Incidence of infection was high in the study population. Incidence of bacillary disease was more frequent among initial tuberculin reactors, especially among older persons, than among non-reactors of whom the majority were in the younger age groups. The distribution of new cases of bacillary tuberculosis among those not infected at intake did not show any evidence of a protective effect of the BCG vaccines.