Bcg what is it

Open search bar Open navigation Submit search. Healthy living. Facebook Youtube Twitter. It is injected between the layers of skin on the upper arm near the shoulder by a Registered Nurse who has been trained in providing the vaccination. Is the vaccine safe? In most circumstances the vaccine is safe. As with any vaccination, BCG can result in severe adverse reactions and you should discuss this with the nurse before vaccination. Are there any side effects? BCG vaccination reduces the risk of tuberculosis in people who are not already infected with TB.

The vaccine does not always prevent disease. Protection against TB will only start weeks after the vaccination has been given and lasts for about 10 years. Revaccination is not recommended. BCG vaccination is not recommended for adults Who could be vaccinated? For country specific incidence rates see the World Health Organisation TB country profile website external site.

BCG vaccination may also be recommended for older children who have an increased risk of developing TB, such as:. BCG vaccination is rarely given to anyone over the age of 16 because there is little evidence it works very well in adults. But it's given to adults aged 16 to 35 who are at risk of TB through their work, such as some healthcare workers, veterinary staff and abattoir workers. If you're offered BCG vaccination as an adult, it will usually be arranged through your local occupational health department.

Find out more about who should have the BCG vaccine. Because the bacteria in the vaccine is weak, it triggers the immune system to protect against the infection but does not give you TB.

It provides consistent protection against the most severe forms of TB, such as TB meningitis in children.

It's less effective in preventing TB that affects the lungs in adults, so has limited impact on the spread of TB. Like all vaccines, the BCG vaccine can cause side effects, but they're uncommon and generally mild.

More serious complications, such as abscesses, bone inflammation and widespread TB are rare. In this case you should not be given the BCG vaccine because you already have some immunity to TB, and the vaccine may cause unpleasant side effects. If you have no reaction to the skin test, this is a negative result, and you can safely have the BCG vaccine. At first it was offered to children of school leaving age 14 years old because TB was most common in young adults at this time.

Rates of TB in the UK were already falling, and they continued to fall after the vaccine was introduced. In the s it was realised that there were higher numbers of TB cases in people coming to the UK from countries with high rates of TB. Vaccination of all children aged continued until , when it was decided that TB rates in the general population had fallen to such a low level that universal BCG vaccination was no longer needed.

The UK programme now targets babies and children who are most at risk of exposure to TB, with the aim of preventing the more serious childhood forms of TB. The vaccine is given just under the skin intradermally , usually in the left upper arm. This is the recommended site, so that small scar left after vaccination can be easily found in the future as evidence of previous vaccination.

No other vaccine should be given in the same limb as the BCG for three months afterwards, because of the risk of lymphadenitis an enlarged lymph node that becomes infected. Tuberculosis TB is caused by a type of bacterium called Mycobacterium. There are Read more. Medical content reviewed by Professor Andrew Pollard. Please click here to contact us if you have comments about the Vaccine Knowledge website.

You should consult your doctor or other healthcare provider if you need specific advice on vaccines for you or your child. Skip to main content.

Search form. Key vaccine facts. Who should have the vaccine? The main risk groups for TB are: Babies and children under 5 who live in an area of the UK with a high rate of TB more than 40 cases of TB per year for every , people. In some areas of London, for example, all newborn babies are recommended to have the BCG vaccine. Having a parent or grandparent who was born in a country where there is a high rate of TB Living for three months or more in a country where is a high rate of TB Being in close contact for a prolonged period with someone who has pulmonary TB TB affecting the lungs Babies and children under 16 in any of these risk groups will usually be offered the BCG vaccine.