What are BCG Vaccines?
BCG is a vaccine that is being used for a long time for the treatment of Tuberculosis. Two French scientists named Albert Calmette and Camille Guerin developed the first Tb vaccine and hence this vaccine is named after them.
This post will explain the full form of BCG, its meaning and how it can be administered in humans to prevent the onset of the dreadful disease.
Principles and Procedures of BCG with Advantages
BCG full form stands for Bacile Calmette-Guerin and is widely used for tuberculosis patients. It is applied in countries where tuberculosis is prevalent. It is important to remember that this vaccine is used for treatment and not for the cure of the disease.
Its working principle explains the full meaning of BCG. The vial is injected into the human body, and it builds a wall of protection against the bacteria, causing tuberculosis. It is, however, not used to treat bladder cancer.
How Does this Vaccine Work?
Pathologists and doctors widely use the term BCG abbreviation. The use of this vaccination is recommended as a must for babies. However, the vial is now given to people who are at a higher risk of contracting this dreaded disease.
This medicine contains a live bacterium in a weakened form. You should understand the full meaning of BCG to understand the working of this type of bacteria known as Mycobacterium Bovis. This live bacteria acts as a shield for your body and prevents TB to a great extent.
Whenever your body is exposed to foreign objects like viruses, the immune system manufactures antibodies against them. These good bacteria destroy the viruses by building a protective corridor around the body.
These antibodies remain inside the body and protect against further infections. So, the BCG full form is explained as an activated immunity system protection against these viruses.
BCG vaccine contains inactive forms of bacteria that cause tuberculosis. These bacteria produce a defence system in the body and don't make you ill. The injected vials develop a strong and natural immune system that slowly kills the germs.
How is Vaccine Given to Patients?
The doctor will perform a skin test to determine the presence of antibodies before administering the dose. It is normal for doctors to use the BCG abbreviation while giving the vaccine to the patient. This test uses tuberculin PPD and is known as the Mantoux test.
Children below six years don't need to have the Mantoux test unless their country of residence has greater exposure to TB. The BCG vaccine is administered as a single dose into the skin on the upper arm. Revaccination is not known and it is not possible to know the time of immunity.
When Shouldn’t You Use This Vaccine?
This vaccine shouldn’t be used for:
People with a previous history of tuberculosis
Skin reaction due to the Mantoux test
Newborn babies in a house where a TB case exists
People with HIV infection and infants born to HIV positive mothers
People with blood cancer and lymphoma
Need for BCG Vaccine
There are numerous deadly bacteria that humans have encountered over the period of time and as such humans also continue to do so. Tuberculosis was and continues to be one of the major diseases having the potential of causing fatal events.
BCG is an effective vaccine against tuberculosis and is being used in different countries where healthcare infrastructure isn’t at par with the standards and where the chances of getting infected with tuberculosis are high.
Limitations of BCG Vaccine
Many countries however have stopped the use of the BCG vaccine due to its inability to develop immunity against all the different types of tuberculosis. Also, there have been cases of vaccines interfering with other vaccines which are given to the child at an earlier age level, same age level or sometimes later.
Few cases of immunosuppressive disorders have also been witnessed in very rare cases. Since BCG is a vaccine and hence prevents getting infected with the disease, it is often administered in early childhood to make sure that exposure to tuberculosis is avoided at a younger age and by the time one grows old, one would have already developed a very strong immune system and the need for the vaccine is no longer there.
The vaccine has proven to be very efficient in numerous cases and has tremendously helped in containing the spread of the bacterium. The presence of deactivated or even ineffective bacteria in the vaccine initiates a trigger response from the natural defence mechanism of our body, the Immune System.
When the immune system detects a bacteria in our body, it generates a rush of antibodies against the inactive bacteria so as to protect us from the harms of the bacteria, even though the bacteria are potentially inactive.
The antibodies destroy the inactive bacteria and the antibodies reside inside our body for a long time and give us protection against getting infected from the real live bacteria. This way the body develops an armour of antibodies against the bacteria.
In other words, by giving the false indication of the presence of harmful bacteria in our body, the BCG makes the body develop a shield against the bacteria and thus the body is shielded from the real harmful bacteria to which it might get exposed in the later stages of our life.
Conclusion
The BCG meaning is to understand first, and healthcare workers should be appropriately coached for administering the dose. Moreover, you shouldn't administer the vial into an area where another vaccination has been provided. This vaccine has been a useful tool in spreading the check of this dreadful virus.
FAQs on What is the Cure for Tuberculosis?
1. Can BCG vaccination be taken at any age?
This is not completely true, this is conditional. The BCG vaccine is best when taken at a younger age under proper supervision. As an adult, there is a possibility that one has already got infected/involved in such events/ conditions which may render the use of the BCG vaccine potentially ineffective or even can lead to contraindications. Such a condition that may lead to contradiction is pregnancy. It is not recommended to administer the BCG vaccine to pregnant women. Also, people who have earlier been infected with tuberculosis can have harmful reactive effects on the body by using BCG vaccines.
2. Does the BCG Vaccine always leave a Scar always?
Yes, the BCG vaccine mostly leaves a scar. It is generally given on the upper arm of a child and doctors advise keeping the vaccine area uncovered until it heals. After some time, usually 3-6 weeks, a small spot appears on the skin where the vaccine was administered. It may or may not turn into a blister that oozes out naturally. When left uncovered, the skin near the vaccine area gets a proper supply of oxygen and can breathe well through pores. It heals within a time span of some weeks after the spot turns into a blister.
3. How long does the BCG Vaccine protection last?
The protection period of the BCG vaccine varies from one person to another and there is not a particularly strict period that may be defined as the protection period for the BCG vaccine. However, most of the cases have witnessed that after taking the BCG vaccine, the immunity against tuberculosis lasts for around 20 years. This vaccine is prepared from the weakened strains of tuberculosis bacteria. And after 20 years there does not arise a need for re-administering of the vaccine. The vaccine is mostly given at a very tender age and because of that after 20 years, the body has already developed natural immunity against the bacteria till that time.
4. Can every child be administered the Vaccine?
No, not every child is cleared for the administration of the BCG vaccine. There are several conditions that may be present in the child due to which the use of the BCG vaccine may not be recommended. The false triggering of a response from our immune system due to the bacteria present in the vaccine is a very sensitive method of developing immunity against a particular disease and this must be only done under expert supervision. BCG vaccine works on the same principle and hence must be selectively availed with proper guidance and vigilant post-vaccine supervision.
5. Can the BCG vaccine be taken as many times as one likes?
BCG vaccine triggers a response from the body by making the immune system release antibodies to a false bacterium. This is very sensitive and must not be done repeatedly. There have been several studies with different vaccines working on the principle of hypersensitivity cellular immune response and it has been revealed that repeated use of such vaccines at the level of abuse can lead to Immunosuppressive Disorder. However further research is needed on this particular claim but there are chances of having a counter-response from the body which may be harmful to the body itself in the long run.