| خلاصه مقاله | BCG vaccination and Immunodeficiency
Sadeghi -Shabestari, M, Clinical Immunologist and allergist
Children hospital, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
Background:
Adverse reactions induced by BCG vaccination are rare .The most frequent complications are purulent regional lymphadenitis .Bone BCG infection is the second most frequent. Disseminated infections are even rarer but is lethal in 50 to 71% of cases. The death rate is especially higher in cases of immunodepression (83%). Disseminated BCG infections have occurred in children with immunodeficiency disorders such as severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID), chronic granulomatous disease (CGD), complete Di George syndrome, AIDS and idiopathic immunodeficiency of genetic origin or mendelian susceptibility to mycobacterial disease (MSMD) with underlying genetic defects. The aim of this study is to determine the nature of the immunodeficiences in patients with disseminated BCG infection in northwest region of Iran.
Materials and methods:
Through 2 years all infants with BCG adenitis or other complications of this vaccine that had suspicious BCG infection were referred to children's hospital and health centers of Tabriz.
Evaluation of immune system and in some cases genetic survey was performed in infants with evidence of histopathologic demonstration of acid-fast bacilli. Then frequency of infants who had disseminated BCG infection with immunodeficiency was defined.
Results:
From 48 selected infants with complications of BCG vaccine in the range of 2 to 62 months, 28 infants (58.3%) were male and 20 infants (41.7%) were female. Disseminated BCG infection was diagnosed in 11 cases, almost all of whom had immunodeficiency as follows:
Seven cases had SCID and one cases had CGD. MSMD in two cases and IL12 R deficiency in another one was diagnosed.
Overall, the mortality rate was 72.8% (8 cases) which 7 cases of them were SCID and another one CGD. Consanguineous was found in more than half (7 cases) of patients and family history of disseminated BCG infection or immunodeficiency was found in nearly one third (3 cases) of patients.
Discussion:
BCG vaccine is administered worldwide to prevent tuberculosis and is considered to have excellent safety profile. However, in some immunodeficiency patients it can cause severe and fatal complications.
Conclusion:
BCG vaccination is necessary in some countries such as Iran, so it seems that development of a safer vaccine and change of vaccine program in the families with history of inherited immunodeficiency can be identifies such high risk infants and prophylaxis of severe complications or dead in such patients. |