DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2222.2000.00803.x. Early BCG vaccination and reduction in atopy in Guinea‐Bissau

Early BCG vaccination and reduction in atopy in Guinea‐Bissau

10.1046/j.1365-2222.2000.00803.x

Crossref journal-article

Wiley

Clinical & Experimental Allergy (311)

Abstract

BackgroundIt has been proposed that certain viral and bacterial infections in early childhood may prevent allergic sensitization, by inducing Th1‐type immune responses. This has led to speculation that mycobacterial vaccines might, through their Th1‐stimulating properties, also protect against atopy.ObjectiveTo investigate whether the prevalence of atopy is lower in children who have been vaccinated with BCG in infancy than in children who have not been vaccinated.MethodsWe measured skin test reactivity to three allergens (Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, D. farinaeand cockroach) in 400 children, aged 3–14 years, as part of a follow‐up study to examine the immune sequelae of measles in an urban area of Bissau, the capital of Guinea‐Bissau in west Africa. Information on childhood vaccinations, including BCG in infancy, was available from child records. Of these children, 271 had been vaccinated with BCG (according to records) and 53 had not been vaccinated (no record and no BCG scar). Atopy was defined in two ways, according to the presence of any allergen reaction ≥ 2 mm and any reaction ≥ 3 mm.ResultsOf the children who had received BCG vaccine, 57 (21%) were atopic (any reaction ≥ 2 mm), compared with 21 (40%) of the unvaccinated children [odds ratio, after controlling for potential confounding factors, 0.19 (95% CI 0.06–0.59)]. When atopy was defined using the 3‐mm criterion, the reduction in atopy associated with BCG was greater the earlier the age at vaccination, and the largest reduction was seen in children vaccinated in the first week of life.ConclusionBCG vaccination given early in infancy may prevent the development of atopy in African children.

Bibliography

Aaby, Shaheen, Heyes, Goudiaby, Hall, Shiell, Jensen, & Marchant. (2000). Early BCG vaccination and reduction in atopy in GuineaâBissau. Clinical & Experimental Allergy, 30(5), 644â650. Portico.

Authors 8

Aaby (first)
Shaheen (additional)
Heyes (additional)
Goudiaby (additional)
Hall (additional)
Shiell (additional)
Jensen (additional)
Marchant (additional)

References 35 Referenced 167

10.1136/bmj.299.6710.1259
10.1136/bmj.308.6930.692
10.1016/S0140-6736(96)91617-7
10.1136/bmj.314.7086.999
10.1016/0167-5699(92)90083-J
10.1126/science.275.5296.41
10.1097/00001648-199710000-00011
10.4049/jimmunol.158.4.1949 / J Immunol / Human T cell responses induced by vaccination with mycobacterium bovis Bacillus Calmette‐Guérin by Ravn P (1997)
10.1056/NEJM199612263352604
10.1084/jem.187.4.561
10.1016/S0091-6749(98)70030-2
AabyP. Bandim. An unplanned longitudinal study. In: Das Gupta M Aaby P Pison G Garenne M. eds. Prospective community studies in developing countries. Oxford University Press. Oxford.1997:27696. (10.1093/oso/9780198292098.003.0013)
10.1136/bmj.313.7063.969
10.1016/0091-6749(90)90223-Q
10.1111/j.1365-2222.1993.tb00279.x
10.1136/adc.67.1.80
{'key': 'e_1_2_6_18_2', 'first-page': '35', 'article-title': 'The distribution and implications of BCG scars in northern Malawi', 'volume': '67', 'author': 'Fine PE', 'year': '1989', 'journal-title': 'Bull WHO'} / Bull WHO / The distribution and implications of BCG scars in northern Malawi by Fine PE (1989)
10.1111/j.1365-2222.1993.tb03238.x
10.1016/S0091-6749(97)70294-X
10.1038/259484a0
10.1016/S0140-6736(97)02207-1
10.1016/S0140-6736(05)64130-X
10.1111/j.1398-9995.1998.tb03884.x
10.1038/ng0497-389
10.1097/00006454-199008000-00008
10.1016/S0167-5699(97)01120-1
10.4049/jimmunol.163.4.2249 / J Immunol / Newborns develop a T helper type 1 type immune response to Mycobacterium bovis Bacillus Calmette‐Guerin vaccination by Marchant A (1999)
10.1126/science.271.5256.1723
10.1126/science.271.5256.1726
10.1126/science.271.5256.1728
10.1111/j.1398-9995.1983.tb01617.x
{'key': 'e_1_2_6_33_2', 'first-page': '450', 'article-title': 'Pertussis infection and allergic sensitisation', 'volume': '73', 'author': 'Wjst M', 'year': '1994', 'journal-title': 'Ann Allergy'} / Ann Allergy / Pertussis infection and allergic sensitisation by Wjst M (1994)
10.1136/thx.53.11.927
10.1016/S0140-6736(98)02364-2
10.1016/S0140-6736(94)91776-0

Dates

Type	When
Created	22 years, 5 months ago (March 11, 2003, 4:43 a.m.)
Deposited	1 year, 8 months ago (Jan. 3, 2024, 1:27 p.m.)
Indexed	5 days, 14 hours ago (Aug. 31, 2025, 6:31 a.m.)
Issued	25 years, 4 months ago (May 1, 2000)
Published	25 years, 4 months ago (May 1, 2000)
Published Online	23 years, 8 months ago (Dec. 24, 2001)
Published Print	25 years, 4 months ago (May 1, 2000)

Funders 0

None

BibTeX

@article{Aaby_2000, title={Early BCG vaccination and reduction in atopy in Guinea‐Bissau}, volume={30}, ISSN={1365-2222}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2222.2000.00803.x}, DOI={10.1046/j.1365-2222.2000.00803.x}, number={5}, journal={Clinical & Experimental Allergy}, publisher={Wiley}, author={Aaby and Shaheen and Heyes and Goudiaby and Hall and Shiell and Jensen and Marchant}, year={2000}, month=may, pages={644–650} }

JSON

{
  "indexed": {
    "date-parts": [
      [
        2025,
        8,
        31
      ]
    ],
    "date-time": "2025-08-31T10:31:19Z",
    "timestamp": 1756636279826
  },
  "reference-count": 35,
  "publisher": "Wiley",
  "issue": "5",
  "license": [
    {
      "start": {
        "date-parts": [
          [
            2001,
            12,
            24
          ]
        ],
        "date-time": "2001-12-24T00:00:00Z",
        "timestamp": 1009152000000
      },
      "content-version": "vor",
      "delay-in-days": 602,
      "URL": "http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor"
    }
  ],
  "content-domain": {
    "domain": [],
    "crossmark-restriction": false
  },
  "published-print": {
    "date-parts": [
      [
        2000,
        5
      ]
    ]
  },
  "abstract": "<jats:sec><jats:title>Background</jats:title><jats:p>It has been proposed that certain viral and bacterial infections in early childhood may prevent allergic sensitization, by inducing Th1\u2010type immune responses. This has led to speculation that mycobacterial vaccines might, through their Th1\u2010stimulating properties, also protect against atopy.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Objective</jats:title><jats:p>To investigate whether the prevalence of atopy is lower in children who have been vaccinated with BCG in infancy than in children who have not been vaccinated.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Methods</jats:title><jats:p>We measured skin test reactivity to three allergens (<jats:italic>Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, D. farinae</jats:italic>and cockroach) in 400 children, aged 3\u201314 years, as part of a follow\u2010up study to examine the immune sequelae of measles in an urban area of Bissau, the capital of Guinea\u2010Bissau in west Africa. Information on childhood vaccinations, including BCG in infancy, was available from child records. Of these children, 271 had been vaccinated with BCG (according to records) and 53 had not been vaccinated (no record and no BCG scar). Atopy was defined in two ways, according to the presence of any allergen reaction \u2265\u20032\u2003mm and any reaction \u2265\u20033\u2003mm.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Results</jats:title><jats:p>Of the children who had received BCG vaccine, 57 (21%) were atopic (any reaction \u2265\u20032\u2003mm), compared with 21 (40%) of the unvaccinated children [odds ratio, after controlling for potential confounding factors, 0.19 (95% CI 0.06\u20130.59)]. When atopy was defined using the 3\u2010mm criterion, the reduction in atopy associated with BCG was greater the earlier the age at vaccination, and the largest reduction was seen in children vaccinated in the first week of life.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Conclusion</jats:title><jats:p>BCG vaccination given early in infancy may prevent the development of atopy in African children.</jats:p></jats:sec>",
  "DOI": "10.1046/j.1365-2222.2000.00803.x",
  "type": "journal-article",
  "created": {
    "date-parts": [
      [
        2003,
        3,
        11
      ]
    ],
    "date-time": "2003-03-11T09:43:28Z",
    "timestamp": 1047375808000
  },
  "page": "644-650",
  "source": "Crossref",
  "is-referenced-by-count": 167,
  "title": "Early BCG vaccination and reduction in atopy in Guinea\u2010Bissau",
  "prefix": "10.1111",
  "volume": "30",
  "author": [
    {
      "family": "Aaby",
      "sequence": "first",
      "affiliation": []
    },
    {
      "family": "Shaheen",
      "sequence": "additional",
      "affiliation": []
    },
    {
      "family": "Heyes",
      "sequence": "additional",
      "affiliation": []
    },
    {
      "family": "Goudiaby",
      "sequence": "additional",
      "affiliation": []
    },
    {
      "family": "Hall",
      "sequence": "additional",
      "affiliation": []
    },
    {
      "family": "Shiell",
      "sequence": "additional",
      "affiliation": []
    },
    {
      "family": "Jensen",
      "sequence": "additional",
      "affiliation": []
    },
    {
      "family": "Marchant",
      "sequence": "additional",
      "affiliation": []
    }
  ],
  "member": "311",
  "published-online": {
    "date-parts": [
      [
        2001,
        12,
        24
      ]
    ]
  },
  "reference": [
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_6_2_2",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "DOI": "10.1136/bmj.299.6710.1259"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_6_3_2",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "DOI": "10.1136/bmj.308.6930.692"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_6_4_2",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "DOI": "10.1016/S0140-6736(96)91617-7"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_6_5_2",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "DOI": "10.1136/bmj.314.7086.999"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_6_6_2",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "DOI": "10.1016/0167-5699(92)90083-J"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_6_7_2",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "DOI": "10.1126/science.275.5296.41"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_6_8_2",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "DOI": "10.1097/00001648-199710000-00011"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_6_9_2",
      "doi-asserted-by": "crossref",
      "first-page": "1949",
      "DOI": "10.4049/jimmunol.158.4.1949",
      "article-title": "Human T cell responses induced by vaccination with mycobacterium bovis Bacillus Calmette\u2010Gu\u00e9rin",
      "volume": "158",
      "author": "Ravn P",
      "year": "1997",
      "journal-title": "J Immunol"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_6_10_2",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "DOI": "10.1056/NEJM199612263352604"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_6_11_2",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "DOI": "10.1084/jem.187.4.561"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_6_12_2",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "DOI": "10.1016/S0091-6749(98)70030-2"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_6_13_2",
      "doi-asserted-by": "crossref",
      "unstructured": "AabyP. Bandim. An unplanned longitudinal study. In: Das Gupta M Aaby P Pison G Garenne M. eds. Prospective community studies in developing countries. Oxford University Press. Oxford.1997:27696.",
      "DOI": "10.1093/oso/9780198292098.003.0013"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_6_14_2",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "DOI": "10.1136/bmj.313.7063.969"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_6_15_2",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "DOI": "10.1016/0091-6749(90)90223-Q"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_6_16_2",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "DOI": "10.1111/j.1365-2222.1993.tb00279.x"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_6_17_2",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "DOI": "10.1136/adc.67.1.80"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_6_18_2",
      "first-page": "35",
      "article-title": "The distribution and implications of BCG scars in northern Malawi",
      "volume": "67",
      "author": "Fine PE",
      "year": "1989",
      "journal-title": "Bull WHO"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_6_19_2",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "DOI": "10.1111/j.1365-2222.1993.tb03238.x"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_6_20_2",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "DOI": "10.1016/S0091-6749(97)70294-X"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_6_21_2",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "DOI": "10.1038/259484a0"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_6_22_2",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "DOI": "10.1016/S0140-6736(97)02207-1"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_6_23_2",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "DOI": "10.1016/S0140-6736(05)64130-X"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_6_24_2",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "DOI": "10.1111/j.1398-9995.1998.tb03884.x"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_6_25_2",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "DOI": "10.1038/ng0497-389"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_6_26_2",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "DOI": "10.1097/00006454-199008000-00008"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_6_27_2",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "DOI": "10.1016/S0167-5699(97)01120-1"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_6_28_2",
      "doi-asserted-by": "crossref",
      "first-page": "2249",
      "DOI": "10.4049/jimmunol.163.4.2249",
      "article-title": "Newborns develop a T helper type 1 type immune response to Mycobacterium bovis Bacillus Calmette\u2010Guerin vaccination",
      "volume": "163",
      "author": "Marchant A",
      "year": "1999",
      "journal-title": "J Immunol"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_6_29_2",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "DOI": "10.1126/science.271.5256.1723"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_6_30_2",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "DOI": "10.1126/science.271.5256.1726"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_6_31_2",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "DOI": "10.1126/science.271.5256.1728"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_6_32_2",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "DOI": "10.1111/j.1398-9995.1983.tb01617.x"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_6_33_2",
      "first-page": "450",
      "article-title": "Pertussis infection and allergic sensitisation",
      "volume": "73",
      "author": "Wjst M",
      "year": "1994",
      "journal-title": "Ann Allergy"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_6_34_2",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "DOI": "10.1136/thx.53.11.927"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_6_35_2",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "DOI": "10.1016/S0140-6736(98)02364-2"
    },
    {
      "key": "e_1_2_6_36_2",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "DOI": "10.1016/S0140-6736(94)91776-0"
    }
  ],
  "container-title": "Clinical &amp; Experimental Allergy",
  "original-title": [],
  "language": "en",
  "link": [
    {
      "URL": "https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1046%2Fj.1365-2222.2000.00803.x",
      "content-type": "unspecified",
      "content-version": "vor",
      "intended-application": "text-mining"
    },
    {
      "URL": "https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1046%2Fj.1365-2222.2000.00803.x",
      "content-type": "application/pdf",
      "content-version": "vor",
      "intended-application": "text-mining"
    },
    {
      "URL": "https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1046/j.1365-2222.2000.00803.x",
      "content-type": "unspecified",
      "content-version": "vor",
      "intended-application": "similarity-checking"
    }
  ],
  "deposited": {
    "date-parts": [
      [
        2024,
        1,
        3
      ]
    ],
    "date-time": "2024-01-03T18:27:22Z",
    "timestamp": 1704306442000
  },
  "score": 1,
  "resource": {
    "primary": {
      "URL": "https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1046/j.1365-2222.2000.00803.x"
    }
  },
  "subtitle": [],
  "short-title": [],
  "issued": {
    "date-parts": [
      [
        2000,
        5
      ]
    ]
  },
  "references-count": 35,
  "journal-issue": {
    "issue": "5",
    "published-print": {
      "date-parts": [
        [
          2000,
          5
        ]
      ]
    }
  },
  "alternative-id": [
    "10.1046/j.1365-2222.2000.00803.x"
  ],
  "URL": "http://dx.doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2222.2000.00803.x",
  "relation": {},
  "ISSN": [
    "0954-7894",
    "1365-2222"
  ],
  "subject": [],
  "container-title-short": "Clin Experimental Allergy",
  "published": {
    "date-parts": [
      [
        2000,
        5
      ]
    ]
  }
}