title: Childhood BCG vaccination does not influence control of Mycobacterium tuberculosis growth by human bronchoalveolar lavage cells.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Childhood vaccination with Mycobacterium bovis Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) reduces the risk of infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis and the risk of severe forms of tuberculosis in children. The protection of adults from pulmonary tuberculosis is doubtful. This study evaluated the effect of the vaccination on the growth of M. tuberculosis human bronchoalveolar mononuclear cells (BALMC).
  
  
  METHODS
  Healthy, adult healthcare workers who were regularly exposed to M. tuberculosis, household tuberculosis contacts, and cured tuberculosis patients were recruited in a multicentre study conducted in Germany. BALMC were co-cultured with different strains of M. tuberculosis in growth inhibition assays (MGIAs).
  
  
  RESULTS
  MGIAs on BALMC were conducted in 90 contact persons (known vaccination status, n = 75) and 62 former tuberculosis patients (known status, n = 22). Growth rates for M. tuberculosis H37Rv in BALMC were independent of the vaccination status, both in healthy contacts and in cured tuberculosis patients. This finding was validated in growth inhibition assays using two different Haarlem M. tuberculosis outbreak strains. Subgroup analyses based on the Interferon-gamma release assay status found no impact of the vaccination on mycobacterial growth.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggests that M. bovis BCG vaccination does not alter the anti-mycobacterial capacity of BALMC as assessed in ex-vivo growth inhibition assays.
authors: Division of Clinical Infectious Diseases, Research Center Borstel, Borstel, Germany; Center for Clinical Studies, Research Center Borstel, Borstel, Germany. Electronic address: cherzmann@fz-borstel.de.
authors: Christian
authors: C
authors: Herzmann
authors: Epidemiology and Medical Statistics Unit, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sassari-Research, Medical Education and Professional Development Unit, AOU Sassari, Sassari, Italy. Electronic address: gsotgiu@uniss.it.
authors: Giovanni
authors: G
authors: Sotgiu
authors: Center of Pneumology, Deaconess Hospital Rotenburg, Rotenburg, Germany. Electronic address: schaberg@diako-online.de.
authors: Tom
authors: T
authors: Schaberg
authors: Division of Immune-Cell Analytics, Research Center Borstel, Borstel, Germany. Electronic address: Martin.Ernst_Bargteheide@t-online.de.
authors: Martin
authors: M
authors: Ernst
authors: Institute for Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, University Hospital of Ulm, Ulm, Germany. Electronic address: Steffen.Stenger@uniklinik-ulm.de.
authors: Steffen
authors: S
authors: Stenger
authors: Division of Clinical Infectious Diseases, Research Center Borstel, Borstel, Germany; German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Clinical Tuberculosis Unit, Germany; International Health/Infectious Diseases, University of Lübeck, Germany; Department of Internal Medicine, University of Namibia School of Medicine, Windhoek, Namibia; Department of Medicine, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden. Electronic address: clange@fz-borstel.de.
authors: Christoph
authors: C
authors: Lange
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001500:BCG Vaccine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000166:cytology / Q000382:microbiology*; D001999:Bronchoscopy; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002648:Child; D016358:Contact Tracing; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006282:Health Personnel; D006798:Housing; D006801:Humans; D007115:Immunization Schedule; D059425:Interferon-gamma Release Tests; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000276:immunology; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D014611:Vaccination
chemical_list: D001500:BCG Vaccine
keywords: BAL; BCG; CFU; Growth inhibition assay; IGRA; Tuberculosis