[Comparative evaluation of the effectiveness of vaccination of newborn infants with BCG and BCG-M vaccines]. / Sravnitel'naia otsenka éffektivnosti vaktsinatsii novorozhdennykh vaktsinami BTsZh i BTsZh-M.

A comparative effectiveness of the newborn BCG- and BCG-M vaccination was analysed as to the indices of primary infection, morbidity and its structure. The rate of postvaccination complications in 1,645,360 children, aged under 3 years, and living in the areas with different epidemiological situations for tuberculosis was studied too. 2,142,292 and 799486 healthy newborns were BCG- and BCG-M-vaccinated, respectively. The studies were carried out in Moscow, Kiev, Vilnius++ and Tashkent. The obtained results indicate that the number of complications in the form of regional lymphadenitis induced by BCG-M vaccine is 5 times less frequent than those caused by BCG. Under favourable epidemiological conditions, the primary infection and morbidity are alike, while under unfavourable ones the former is higher, particularly in infants in their first year as compared to the BCG-vaccinated. On the basis of the available data BCG-M can be recommended for the vaccination of all the newborns living in the areas with a favourable epidemiological situation for tuberculosis, thus increasing the newborn vaccination coverage and bringing the morbidity down.

[Method for immunization against tuberculosis using BCG-M vaccine--a preparation with a reduced antigenic load]. / Metod immunizatsii protiv tuberkuleza vaktsinoi BTsZh-M--preparat s umen'shennoi antigennoi nagruzkoi.

Experimental and clinical investigations on the possibility of reducing the antigenic content of the vaccine intended for the immunization of newborn infants have been made. Experiments on guinea pigs and white mice have demonstrated that the reduced dose of the preparation, twice as low by weight (0.025 mg), produces the same level of protection against tuberculosis as the full dose (0.5 mg). A new preparation with reduced antigenic content, vaccine BCG-M, has been developed, the technical specifications for this preparation have been approved, and its serial production has been allowed. Clinical tests have revealed that the use of the new preparation makes it possible to decrease the occurrence of unusual postvaccinal reactions and complications (lymphadenitis, ulceration) 3-fold and at the same time to increase the coverage of infants by primary immunization against tuberculosis by 7-8% annually. Since January 1986 this vaccine has been introduced into medical practice.

[A new method of applying a tuberculin ointment for cutaneous use compared to the Mantoux test]. / Izuchenie novogo metoda applikatsii tuberkulinovoi mazi dlia nakozhnogo primeneniia v sravnenii s proboi Mantu.

The method for the applications of tuberculin ointment for the skin test by means of special aluminum chambers (Finn Chambers, obtained from Epitest Ltd. OY, Finland) was approved after trial. For control, the Mantoux test (intracutaneous tuberculin test) was used. The results of these two tests, made in parallel, were found to coincide in children with clinical symptoms of tuberculosis, or infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis, in 84% of cases. The tuberculin skin test with the use of Finn Chambers proved to be more sparing, painless and safe. At the present stage of investigation, the new skin test may be recommended for children of preschool age.

[Use of a BCG vaccine from a Soviet substrain for the immunotherapy of tumors caused by SA7 (C8) virus]. / Ispol'zovanie vaktsiny BTsZh iz otechestvennogo subshtamma dlia immunoterapii opukholei, vyzvannykh virusom SA7 (C8).

The oncolytic and immunotherapeutic effect of the national BCG vaccine with respect to undifferentiated sarcoma of hamster induced by the highly oncogenic adenovirus of green monkeys SA7(C8) was studied. Preliminary data on significant positive effect of the vaccine inoculated before tumor formation were obtained. A single inoculation of the vaccine into tumors did not result in tumor regression in any of the cases.

[Biologic effect of atypical mycobacteria against a background of BCG vaccination]. / Eksperimental'noe izuchenie biologicheskogo deistviia atipichnykh mikobakterii na fone vaktsinatsii BTsZh

A study was made of the specific sensitivity to tuberculin in the animals vaccinated with BCG in case of their additional sensitization with various atypical mycobacteria. The mentioned experimental study appeared to be necessary for the purpose of a more proper treatment of the epidemiological date referred to the sensitivity of man to tuberculin and sensitins against the background of mass BCG vaccination. Preliminary BCG vaccination of the animals with their subsequent infection with atypical mycobacteria altered the allergic response to the antigens from the mycobacteria increasing the response reactions not only to tuberculin, but also to sensitins from mycobacteria of the I--III groups by Runyon's classification, closely connected in antigenic respect with mycobacteria tuberculosis. Skin reactions to sensitins from the saprophytic mycobacteria which had in their composition much less common antigens with mycobacteria tuberculosis, remained at the low level. Sensitization with atypical mycobacteria of animals preliminarily vaccinated with BCG failed to cause significant influence on the production of immunity to the subsequent virulent infection with tuberculosis.