title: BCG scar survey among primary school children in Kenya (1986-1990).
abstract: Bacillus Calmette Guerin (BCG) vaccination is essential in the control of tuberculosis (TB) especially in countries like Kenya where TB is still a public health problem and BCG is given to all children at birth as a matter of policy. The present survey was launched in 1986 to assess both BCG vaccination coverage and to compare its findings with the 1979/81 BCG scar survey results. Using random cluster sampling procedures, all primary school children aged 6-13 years from schools in each of 12 districts were included in the survey. A total of 46357 school children were registered. Of these, 3642 (7.9%) were excluded from the survey for a variety of reasons. Of the remaining 42715 (92.1%) children, 26781 (62.7%) had BCG scars present. Overall there was a significant upward trend of 15% in BCG vaccination coverage in the country. However, in some districts the coverage was found to have fallen quite significantly.
authors.affiliation: Respiratory Disease Research Unit, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kwamanga
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Githui
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Agwanda
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nderitu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001500:BCG Vaccine / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000276:immunology*; D002648:Child; D002921:Cicatrix / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007630:Kenya / Q000453:epidemiology; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D012494:Sampling Studies; D012574:Schools
chemical_list: D001500:BCG Vaccine