BCG vaccine and post-BCG complications among infants in Gaza Strip, 1999.
The relationship between post-BCG complications and the practices of administration and/or use of certain batches of BCG vaccine was investigated. A questionnaire were given to nurses administering BCG vaccination. An abstraction sheet was used to analyse cases with BCG complications among infants (n = 552) and schoolchildren (n = 97). The rate of complications was 14.7/1000 among infants and 2.5/1000 among schoolchildren in 1997. The complications rate was 19.1/1000 at UNRWA and 8.3/1000 at governmental health services. It was found that a single batch of BCG 2611-11 combined with incorrect administering of the vaccine was responsible for this outbreak of complications. Therefore, the establishment of a surveillance system to monitor adverse events following immunization is needed.
Awad
R
R
Department of Epidemiology, Ministry of Health, Rimal Clinic, Gaza, Palestine.
D000038:Abscess / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D016907:Adverse Drug Reaction Reporting Systems; D017677:Age Distribution; D001500:BCG Vaccine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000600:supply & distribution; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards; D004196:Disease Outbreaks / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008199:Lymphadenitis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D032541:Mass Vaccination / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods* / Q000451:nursing; D008877:Middle East / Q000453:epidemiology; D009740:Nursing Staff / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012883:Skin Ulcer / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D001500:BCG Vaccine