1. Neonatal Bacille Calmette-Guérin Vaccination and Infections in the First Year of Life: The MIS BAIR Randomized Controlled Trial.
- Author
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Messina, Nicole L, Pittet, Laure F, Gardiner, Kaya, Freyne, Bridget, Francis, Kate L, Zufferey, Christel, Abruzzo, Veronica, Morrison, Clare, Allen, Katrina J, Flanagan, Katie L, Ponsonby, Anne-Louise, Robins-Browne, Roy, Shann, Frank, South, Mike, Vuillermin, Peter, Donath, Susan, Casalaz, Dan, and Curtis, Nigel
- Subjects
BCG vaccines ,RESPIRATORY infections ,VACCINATION ,INFANTS ,COMMUNICABLE diseases - Abstract
Background: Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination has beneficial off-target effects that may include protecting against non-mycobacterial infectious diseases. We aimed to determine whether neonatal BCG vaccination reduces lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI) in infants in the Melbourne Infant Study: BCG for Allergy and Infection Reduction (MIS BAIR) trial.Methods: In this investigator-blinded trial, neonates in Australia were randomized to receive BCG-Denmark vaccination or no BCG at birth. Episodes of LRTI were determined by symptoms reported in parent-completed, 3-month questionnaires over the first year of life. Data were analyzed by intention-to-treat using binary regression.Results: A total of 1272 neonates were randomized to the BCG vaccination (n = 637) or control (n = 635) group. The proportion of participants with an episode of LRTI in the first year of life among BCG-vaccinated infants was 54.8% compared to 58.0% in the control group, resulting in a risk difference of -3.2 (95% confidence interval, -9.0 to 2.6) after multiple imputation. There was no interaction observed between the primary outcome and sex, maternal BCG, or the other prespecified effect modifiers.Conclusions: Based on the findings of this trial, there is insufficient evidence to support the use of neonatal BCG vaccination to prevent LRTI in the first year of life in high-income settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]- Published
- 2021
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