title: Is the incidence of AIDS-associated Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare disease affected by previous exposure to BCG, M. tuberculosis or environmental mycobacteria?
abstract: The incidence of disease due to Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare (MAI) in AIDS patients varies from region to region. It has been previously postulated that this difference is the result of a protective effect of neonatal BCG vaccination. The basis of this hypothesis is examined and it is further postulated that a similar protective effect may be afforded by self-limiting tuberculosis in childhood and by exposure to certain environmental mycobacteria. The possibility of developing vaccination strategies to limit the incidence of AIDS-related MAI disease thus requires consideration.
authors.affiliation: National Heart and Lung Institute, Royal Brompton Hospital, London, UK.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Grange
mesh_terms: D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D001500:BCG Vaccine; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D007110:Immunity, Active; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D009164:Mycobacterium Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D015270:Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare Infection / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D001500:BCG Vaccine