Effectiveness of mass neonatal BCG vaccination in the prevention of pulmonary tuberculosis: a case-control study in Nagpur, India.
METHODS
Government Medical College, Nagpur, India, a tertiary care hospital.


OBJECTIVE
To estimate the effectiveness of mass neonatal BCG vaccination in the prevention of pulmonary tuberculosis in Nagpur, India.


METHODS
A hospital-based pair-matched case-control study with a case of 1:3, including 144 cases of pulmonary tuberculosis and 432 controls.


RESULTS
The overall vaccine effectiveness estimated in the present study was 60% (95% Confidence Interval [CI] 43%-72%). The protective effect was more in males in the age group 21-30 years. The prevented fraction was 39% (95% CI 24%-52%).


CONCLUSIONS
The moderate effectiveness demonstrated in this study needs to be substantiated for other forms of tuberculosis by undertaking community-based case-control studies, before attempting to justify the use of mass neonatal BCG vaccination strategy as a part of the national programme.
Murhekar
M V
MV
Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, Government Medical College, Nagpur, India.
Kulkarni
H R
HR
Zodpey
S P
SP
Dehankar
A G
AG
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001500:BCG Vaccine; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017589:Immunization Programs; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009313:National Health Programs; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010865:Pilot Projects; D015995:Prevalence; D012923:Social Class; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*
D001500:BCG Vaccine