Neonatal vaccination against tuberculosis under present-day conditions: Significance and problems

Abstract

The paper presents materials on vaccination against tuberculosis in Russia. It shows the results of studies conducted by Russian scientists to elaborate different BCG administration regimens. The authors have established the need to keep the National Immunization Schedule under present-day conditions according to the age of a child and the epidemiological situation in the country. A special section is devoted to the occurrence of complications caused by the vaccine after tuberculosis. Based on the Federal Center's data on complications due to BCG/BCG-M, the authors provide information on the incidence and pattern of complications occurring in Russia. Cold abscesses are shown to be 3,3 times less frequently in the babies vaccinated in maternity hospitals than in those vaccinated in polyclinics. This has been evidence that the national schedule should be changed, by incorporating a BCG-M vaccine into mandatory neonatal immunization.