A place for neutrophils in the beneficial pathogen-agnostic effects of the BCG vaccine

The BCG vaccine has long been recognized for reducing the risk to suffer from infectious diseases unrelated to its target disease, tuberculosis. Evidence from human trials demonstrate substantial reductions in all-cause mortality, especially in the first week of life. Observational studies have identified an association between BCG vaccination and reduced risk of respiratory infectious disease and clinical malaria later in childhood.

Citation:
Brook B, Schaltz-Buchholzer F, Ben-Othman R, Kollmann T, Amenyogbe N. A place for neutrophils in the beneficial pathogen-agnostic effects of the BCG vaccine. Vaccine. 2021.

Keywords:
BCG; Neutrophil; Non-specific effects

Abstract:
The BCG vaccine has long been recognized for reducing the risk to suffer from infectious diseases unrelated to its target disease, tuberculosis. Evidence from human trials demonstrate substantial reductions in all-cause mortality, especially in the first week of life. Observational studies have identified an association between BCG vaccination and reduced risk of respiratory infectious disease and clinical malaria later in childhood.