BCG Vaccine: Dosage Guidelines and Common Side Effects

BCG vaccine is mainly given to prevent TB. BCG vaccine is given to those infants who are more likely to get TB. Along with this, in countries where TB and leprosy are common problems, it is advisable to give BCG vaccine at the time of birth of the child. Not only this, BCG also provides protection against Buruli ulcer infection and other nontuberculous mycobacteria infections. Apart from this, in some cases it is also used in the treatment of bladder cancer. BCG protects you from TB infection for about twenty years. BCG vaccine is given in the form of an injection on the arm of the child.

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When and to whom is BCG vaccine given. This is being explained in detail below.

• BCG vaccine is given to children below the age of six years. If the infant or child is going to a country for three months, where the cases of tuberculosis are up to 0.04 percent.
• Frequent visits to tuberculosis infected countries. 
• If any member of the family comes from a country with high cases of tuberculosis, then in such a case the newborn needs BCG. 
• The child's parents or any member of the family has ever had leprosy.
• If a child below the age of six years has not been given BCG and recently any member of his family has been diagnosed with leprosy. 
• The right time to administer BCG vaccine is considered to be from a few days after the birth of the child to six months. But you can also administer BCG vaccine to the child till he is five years old. 
• If your child is more than six months old, then in such a case you can get the child tested for TB. Based on the test report, it is decided whether the child will be given BCG vaccine or not. 

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• A newborn whose body mass is less than 2000 grams. 
• Babies who have immunity deficiency from birth.
• A person who has previously or currently suffered from TB.
• People with weak immunity such as HIV infected people or those who are about to undergo organ transplant.
• BCG should not be given to women during pregnancy. Even though BCG does not cause any harm to the fetus, more studies are needed on this subject.
• Patients suffering from kidney disease.
• BCG should also not be given to people suffering from serious diseases.

There can be many types of side effects after the BCG vaccine. These are being explained in detail below.

• Swelling of lymph nodes. 
• Redness at the injection site. This can happen 10 to 14 days after the injection to the baby, but gradually this redness heals on its own. 
• The baby gets a fever.
• Baby vomits.
• Upset stomach. 
• Blood in urine.
• Frequent urination.
• Pain while urinating.

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• Severe skin rashes.
• Difficulty in swallowing and difficulty in breathing.
• Wheezing while breathing.

It is common for an infant or child to have a reaction after vaccination. In very few cases, BCG causes long-term problems. This injection is given under the skin of the child's left arm. Most children develop a boil at the site of injection. Once the boil heals, a small scar remains at this place. The child faces the following problems after injection.

• A red blister may appear at the site of injection within one to six weeks.
• Fluid starts flowing from the blister within six to twelve weeks. If this happens, you should keep it covered with a breathable cloth. Do not apply any adhesive bandage on it.
• It may take three months to heal.

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Care After BCG Vaccination

• Try to keep the site of BCG injection dry and also pay full attention to hygiene. 
• Do not burst the blisters at the injection site of the child yourself. Doing so can cause pain to the child and may take longer to heal. 
• Do not apply any kind of medicine or ointment on the injection site without asking the doctor.
• Do not massage the injected arm of the child for a few days.

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BCG stands for Bacillus Calmette-Guérin, which is a vaccine and is mainly given to prevent tuberculosis (TB). This vaccine provides protection to newborns or young children in their early life from severe forms of TB, such as military TB and TB meningitis. It is given immediately after birth or in the first few weeks. BCG vaccine increases the body's immunity and helps fight TB bacteria. Although it is less effective in completely preventing pulmonary TB in adults, it is still part of comprehensive vaccination programs, especially in areas where TB incidence is high.