Has bcg attenuated to impotence?

ABSTRACT The magnitude of the global tuberculosis problem and the emergence of antibiotic-resistant organisms has resulted in a renewed need for tuberculosis vaccine development. An ideal

vaccine would consistentlyconfer protection without confoundingthe interpretation of the tuberculin skin test. The current vaccine, Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG), provides inconsistent

efficacy (0-80% in randomized control trials) yet usually induces tuberculin reactivity. This variability in observed efficacy has been attributed to differences in trial methodology, host

genetics and immunity to a variety of environmental mycobacteria1. We hypothesize that the attributes of the current BCG have resulted from subtlepressures to minimize adverse reactions and

maintain tuberculin reactivity during vaccine development and testing. Access through your institution Buy or subscribe This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

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Infectious Diseases and Geographic Medicine, Stanford University Medical Center, 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, 94305-5107, California, USA Marcel A. Behr & Peter M. Small Authors * Marcel

A. Behr View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * Peter M. Small View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google

Scholar RIGHTS AND PERMISSIONS Reprints and permissions ABOUT THIS ARTICLE CITE THIS ARTICLE Behr, M., Small, P. Has BCG attenuated to impotence?. _Nature_ 389, 133–134 (1997).

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