[Reducing the risk of tuberculosis in children vaccinated with BCG]. / Reducerea riscului de imbolnavire prin tuberculoza la copiii vaccinati B.C.G.

In 1973, of 1774192 children aged 18 months to 6 years, 82,2% had to be revaccinated with BCG, 10.7% presented tuberculin reactions larger than 10 mm and 7.1% were absentees. In 1974 a number of 485 children belonging to the respective age group contracted tuberculosis. Analysis of these cases showed that the risk of tuberculosis was of 10.9 per 100,000 revaccinated subjects and of 74.6 per 10,000 absentees. BCG vaccination not only lowered the risk of the disease but also reduced the risk of a severe evolution and death.

[Intradermal BCG vaccination of the ,ewborn in the 1972-1975 period]. / Observatii privind vaccinarea B.C.G. intradermica la nou-nascuti in perioada 1972--1975

The study included 1015 children vaccinated BCG at birth in the "Gh. Marinescu" Maternity Hospital of Bucharest during the 1972-1975 period. The Romanian lyophilized BCG vaccine prepared in sodium glutamate in doses of 0.10 mg/0.1 ml was used. Of these children 543 were vaccinated in the Maternity Hospital and 472 by the vaccination teams of the Institute of Phthisiology, Bucharest. During the first two years 660 of these children were controlled at various intervals. Sensitivity to 2 U PPD was moderate during the first year, the mean diameter being of 4-5.3 mm in the children vaccinated before discharged from hospital and of 3.5-6.7 mm in diameter in the children vaccinated after discharge. At the age of 1 and 2 years the mean diameter did not exceed 3 mm. The vaccinal scar was present in more than 95% of the children in the first year, the mean diameter ranging between 3.6 and 4.8 mm. No postvaccinal complications were recorded. The authors consider that the results obtained can be taken as criteria for assessing the operational and technical effectiveness of BCG in neonates.

[Comparative immediate results after the use of several lyophilized BCG vaccines]. / Rezultate imediate comparative dupa aplicarea mai multor vaccinuri B.C.G. liofilizate

A number of 1928 children were vaccinated intradermally with 12 series of BCG vaccine produced by the Cantacuzino Institute and 2 experimental vaccines, prepared in the same laboratory by the same current technique, i.e. a Romanian strain and a French strain, lot 1173 P2. With the experimental vaccines 2 doses were used, with the other vaccines a single standard dose of 0.10 mg. Appraisal of tuberculin sensitivity 8-10 weeks after vaccination showed differences in tuberculin duration, varying between 13.23 mm and 16.27 mm in diameter with the selected vaccines (using 2 units PPD) and were much smaller (8.6 mm -- 12.28 mm) with the operational series of vaccines.

[Adenitis following BCG vaccination]. / Studiu privind adenita postvaccinala B.C.G.

The authors present a study on 167 cases of post-vaccinal adenitis after B.C.G. administration. These occured after the experimental application in 1,187 newborns of two vaccines produced by different laboratories. Manifest adenitis developed only after the application of the vaccine with a higher virulence and a significant concentration of live germs (A), while the vaccine with a low concentration of live germs only determined inflammatory adenitis (vaccine B). In the cases when vaccine A was applied, both after intra-dermal introduction of a 0,10 mg dose or of a 0,05 mg dose, it determined adenitis with a long evolution and in 7,79 percent, respectively in 6,95 percent of the vaccinated children fistulization occured. In most of the cases adenitis developed in the first 6 months following vaccination (86,77 percent) but in some cases it appeared even after 1-2 years. In 78,3 percent of the cases adenitis had a long course and in only 21,7 percent they regressed rapidly. Adenitis did not involve the general condition of the children but determined a concern of the parents. The duration of evolution of adenitis was, as a general rule, of several months, or 1-2 years and even longer and the treatment with tuberculostatics (INH) did not significantly alter their evolution. When there was a tendency to the formation of abscesses, especially in the case of gigantic adenitis, a reduction of the duration of the evolution was obtained by puncture, and especially by lymph-node curettage. The intensity of the post-vaccinal allergy is noted in cases complicated by adenitis (100 percent), as well as its long persistance, while in non-complicated cases the allergy diminished each year both in intensity and frequency. The authors recommend that before the mass use of a vaccine this should be tested, especially in young children, in view of making the correct choice of the efficient dose, with a maximal efficiency and the lowest number of complications.