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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Scar Not Developed After Taking BCG Vaccination. Re-vaccination Required? Had Visited Uncle Suffering From Pulmonary Tuberculosis

My son,1 year old now,received BCG during the 1st month of his life but did not develop any scar and he has not been revaccinated.He is a healthy baby and never got ill except 2 or 3 episodes of slight sore throat .20 days ago he visited his uncle who was later diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis and had chest at the time of the visit.Though the visit lasted 2 days I am now worried about my son being in contact with a person having active disease and also my son s uncertain vaccination status.What should i do?Have a Mantoux test done and revaccination or what?Please help.
Mon, 25 Jun 2012
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Pediatrician,  's  Response
hi,

there are 2 reasons for the scar not to be formed.. one is that in many children the vaccine gets taken up by the body and a good immune response is built up but outside scar formation on the skin may not occur.. the second reason being that vaccine may not be taken up at all.. the efficacy of this vaccine ranges widely between 0 - 80%!!

it is difficult to distinguish this on basis of scar so v can do a mantoux test done.. if the response is shown well that means child already has been exposed to tubercular antigens and is mounting a response and there is no need for another round of vaccination.. but in case his mantoux does not respond then it is better to get another dose of vaccination done.. and to be called a contact we usually take a period of 2 years to be living in the same house as with an active case of tuberculosis..this visit to uncle should not be much of an issue..
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Scar Not Developed After Taking BCG Vaccination. Re-vaccination Required? Had Visited Uncle Suffering From Pulmonary Tuberculosis

hi, there are 2 reasons for the scar not to be formed.. one is that in many children the vaccine gets taken up by the body and a good immune response is built up but outside scar formation on the skin may not occur.. the second reason being that vaccine may not be taken up at all.. the efficacy of this vaccine ranges widely between 0 - 80%!! it is difficult to distinguish this on basis of scar so v can do a mantoux test done.. if the response is shown well that means child already has been exposed to tubercular antigens and is mounting a response and there is no need for another round of vaccination.. but in case his mantoux does not respond then it is better to get another dose of vaccination done.. and to be called a contact we usually take a period of 2 years to be living in the same house as with an active case of tuberculosis..this visit to uncle should not be much of an issue..