Studying adults aged 35 and 41 years who have received BCG vaccine and those who have not received it during childhood, Tel Aviv University researchers found no association between BCG vaccination and coronavirus infection in Israel. A study has found that BCG vaccination during childhood does not have a protective effect against novel coronavirus infection … Continue reading Israel: No association found between BCG vaccination and coronavirus infection
BCG vaccine
Wait for trial results before using BCG vaccine for COVID-19, Tedros writes
Tedros and others caution that using BCG vaccine on health-care workers for COVID-19 should be only after safety and efficacy are tested through randomised controlled trials. BCG vaccine, which ramps up the immune system, can exacerbate COVID-19 in a small population of patients with severe disease, they warn. In a letter published in The Lancet … Continue reading Wait for trial results before using BCG vaccine for COVID-19, Tedros writes
Coronavirus: Correlation does not mean causation, doctors say about BCG vaccine study
Protection conferred by BCG vaccine against novel coronavirus is an interesting study and a plausible hypothesis but has been done early in the course of an epidemic and when the settings are not the same in all countries. We need more data from trials to be able to say anything with confidence. A study posted … Continue reading Coronavirus: Correlation does not mean causation, doctors say about BCG vaccine study
TB: Delivering BCG vaccine intravenously vastly improves efficacy
Changing the route of BCG vaccine administration from intradermal to intravenous and using a higher dosage showed vast improvement in vaccine efficacy. Nine of the 10 animals that received the vaccine intravenously were highly protected when exposed to TB bacteria six months after vaccination. The tuberculosis vaccine, known as BCG (Bacille Calmette-Guérin) is a is … Continue reading TB: Delivering BCG vaccine intravenously vastly improves efficacy
Nanocurcumin enhances BCG vaccine efficacy
Curcumin was found to enhance the efficacy of the BCG vaccine by increasing the number of central memory cells. Curcumin also helps in the activation of innate immune cells known as macrophages and dendritic cells. Mice treated with curcumin nanoparticles had ten times less bacterial load than controls. A study carried out on mice models … Continue reading Nanocurcumin enhances BCG vaccine efficacy
ICMR wins the 2017 Kochon Prize for TB research
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has won the Stop TB Kochon Prize for excellence in TB research and development. The $65,000 Prize is awarded annually by Stop TB Partnership to individuals and/or organizations that have made a significant contribution to combating TB. The ICMR emerged the winner from amongst 18 nominations. The 2017 Kochon Prize was awarded … Continue reading ICMR wins the 2017 Kochon Prize for TB research
TB vaccine trial on adults begins in June in India
In June this year, the Pune-based Serum Institute of India Pvt Limited will begin a Phase II/III vaccine trial for tuberculosis using a novel, recombinant BCG (bacillus Calmette-Guérin) vaccine. The double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised trial will be carried out on 2,000 adults who have been successfully treated (and cured) for TB. While 1,000 adults will receive … Continue reading TB vaccine trial on adults begins in June in India
Indian researchers enhance BCG vaccine efficacy using anti-leprosy drug
Indian researchers have been able to bring about more than 50-fold improvement in the efficacy of the commonly used TB vaccine — Bacillu Calmette Guerin (BCG) — by giving mice anti-leprosy drug (clofazimine) for a month along with a single dose of the vaccine. The duration of protection lasted till the end of the trial protocol … Continue reading Indian researchers enhance BCG vaccine efficacy using anti-leprosy drug