Get 20M+ Full-Text Papers For Less Than $1.50/day. Start a 14-Day Trial for You or Your Team.

Learn More →

The Current Status of BCG Immunization Against Tuberculosis

The Current Status of BCG Immunization Against Tuberculosis The use of BeG vaccine in the prevention of tuberculosis has long been a controver­ sial and emotionally charged issue in the United States. Although available in this country, BeG vaccine has been used but little in the prevention of tuberculosis. In contrast, BeG vaccination has been the major thrust of the World Health Organiza­ tion's efforts to control tuberculosis in countries with high rates of transmission, and is credited with a major role in reducing tuberculosis morbidity. In controlling tuberculosis in the United States, reliance has been placed by public health authorities on early detection of new cases using the tuberculin skin test, prompt chemotherapy, and preventive isoniazid treatment of household contacts, skin-test converters, and other high-risk groups with positive skin tests. The validity of this approach has been evident, for tuberculosis has declined sharply in the United States during the past several decades. United States Public Health Service data (I, 2) indicate that in 1953 there were 84,000 new cases of tuberculosis and 19,700 deaths due to tuberculosis; in 1975 there were only 33,500 new cases, and the number of tuberculosis deaths had declined to 3,500. Other, more general factors, such as improved nutrition and the http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Annual Review of Medicine Annual Reviews

The Current Status of BCG Immunization Against Tuberculosis

Annual Review of Medicine , Volume 28 (1) – Feb 1, 1977

Loading next page...
 
/lp/annual-reviews/the-current-status-of-bcg-immunization-against-tuberculosis-k2C6Vf7LPY

References (24)

Publisher
Annual Reviews
Copyright
Copyright 1977 Annual Reviews. All rights reserved
Subject
Review Articles
ISSN
0066-4219
eISSN
1545-326X
DOI
10.1146/annurev.me.28.020177.002211
pmid
324370
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

The use of BeG vaccine in the prevention of tuberculosis has long been a controver­ sial and emotionally charged issue in the United States. Although available in this country, BeG vaccine has been used but little in the prevention of tuberculosis. In contrast, BeG vaccination has been the major thrust of the World Health Organiza­ tion's efforts to control tuberculosis in countries with high rates of transmission, and is credited with a major role in reducing tuberculosis morbidity. In controlling tuberculosis in the United States, reliance has been placed by public health authorities on early detection of new cases using the tuberculin skin test, prompt chemotherapy, and preventive isoniazid treatment of household contacts, skin-test converters, and other high-risk groups with positive skin tests. The validity of this approach has been evident, for tuberculosis has declined sharply in the United States during the past several decades. United States Public Health Service data (I, 2) indicate that in 1953 there were 84,000 new cases of tuberculosis and 19,700 deaths due to tuberculosis; in 1975 there were only 33,500 new cases, and the number of tuberculosis deaths had declined to 3,500. Other, more general factors, such as improved nutrition and the

Journal

Annual Review of MedicineAnnual Reviews

Published: Feb 1, 1977

There are no references for this article.