title: Evaluation of the BCG revaccination programme of schoolchildren in Finland.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the need for the BCG revaccination programme of schoolchildren in Finland.
  
  
  METHODS
  Investigating tuberculin sensitivity using the standard WHO Mantoux test and developing a model to estimate the risk of discontinuation, assuming that the annual incidence of tuberculosis within ten years after revaccination will remain at its present level; that the revaccination rate will be 2, 6 or 20%; and that the degree of protection will be 10, 20, 40 or 80%.
  
  
  METHODS
  Urban and rural schoolchildren--3,346 vaccinated with Copenhagen and 655 with Glaxo BCG vaccine at birth.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The annual incidence of tuberculosis was 4.2 per 100,000 in the age-group 15-24 years. BCG revaccination was given formerly to 20% of the age cohort but nowadays only 6% or 2% meet the criteria after receiving either Copenhagen or Glaxo BCG at birth. After discontinuation the expected increase of tuberculosis in the age-group 15-24 years is predicted to fall within the limits of 0.1-24 cases per year. If 2% are left without revaccination the increase will be 0.1-2.4 cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Due to the low annual incidence of tuberculosis in adolescents and to the small risk of increase the BCG revaccination programme has been discontinued from 1990 onwards.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, University Central Hospital, Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tala-Heikkila
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nurmela
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tala
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tuominen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001500:BCG Vaccine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000592:standards / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007114:Immunization / Q000592:standards*; D015994:Incidence; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012572:School Health Services / Q000592:standards*; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D001500:BCG Vaccine