title: Role of bacille Calmette-Guérin in preventing tuberculous infection.
abstract: Rural community in South India.
  
  
  
  To determine the role of bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) in preventing tuberculous infection in children.
  
  
  
  A prevalence survey was undertaken in 1999-2001 in a representative rural population in Tiruvallur District in South India using cluster sampling. Tuberculin testing was performed among all children aged <15 years, and all adults aged 15 years were questioned about chest symptoms and underwent radiography, followed by sputum examinations, if indicated.
  
  
  
  In children living in households with a tuberculosis case, the proportion with evidence of tuberculous infection was 35.5% of 200 in the absence of a BCG scar and 27.0% of 100 in its presence, a reduction of 24% (P = 0.14). In very young children (age <5 years), the corresponding proportions were 29.1% of 55 and 11.9% of 42, a reduction of 59%; the difference was statistically significant (P = 0.048).
  
  
  
  There is a possible role for BCG in preventing tuberculous infection in very young children.
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis, Chennai, India.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Adinarayanan
authors.affiliation: Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA.
authors.forename: R K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Culp
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis, Chennai, India.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Subramani
authors.affiliation: Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA.
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Abbas
authors.affiliation: Institute for Research in Medical Statistics, Madras Chapter, Chennai, India.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Radhakrishna
authors.affiliation: National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis, Chennai, India.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Swaminathan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001500:BCG Vaccine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012424:Rural Population; D013183:Sputum / Q000382:microbiology*; D014374:Tuberculin Test; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D001500:BCG Vaccine