Does BCG vaccination help prevent asthma?
BCG vaccination is thought to be among a group of vaccines capable of manipulating the immune system toward T(H)1 dominance and therefore reducing the likelihood of atopic disease. The aim of this study was to determine the influence of neonatal BCG vaccination on the prevalence of wheeze in a large community population of children. In a historical cohort study, a parent-completed questionnaire was used to identify the prevalence of wheeze in BCG-vaccinated and nonvaccinated children in Manchester, England. There were 2414 participants aged between 6 and 11 years. Neonatal BCG vaccination was associated with a significantly lower prevalence of wheeze. Neonatal BCG vaccination may relate to a possible 27% reduction in prevalence, and are therefore of considerable public health importance. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2007; [Epub ahead of print] Comments: The capacity of neonatal BCG vaccination to reduce the prevalence of respiratory symptoms in children warrants further investigation, and gi
