Bacillus Calmette-Guerin vaccination, thymic size, and thymic output in healthy newborns.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The Bacillus Calmette-Guérin vaccine (BCG) has been associated with beneficial nonspecific effects on infant health. We aimed to examine the effect of BCG at birth on thymic size and the associations between thymic output, circulating lymphocytes, risk of infection, and thymic size.

Methods

In infants randomized to BCG or no BCG, thymic index (TI), and thymic/weight index (TWI) were measured by ultrasound at birth and at the age of 3 mo. T cell subpopulations including CD4⁺ T cells, CD8⁺ T cells, and recent thymic emigrants (RTEs) were assessed by flow cytometry. Infections up to age 3 mo were parent-reported.

Results

BCG vaccination did not affect thymic size at age 3 mo, measured as TI. At birth, the number of lymphocytes, CD4+ T cel

SUBMITTER: Birk NM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5605675 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature