Characterization of the Infant Immune System and the Influence and Immunogenicity of BCG Vaccination in Infant and Adult Rhesus Macaques.

ABSTRACT: In many countries where tuberculosis (TB) is endemic, the Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine is given as close to birth as possible to protect infants and children from severe forms of TB. However, BCG has variable efficacy and is not as effective against adult pulmonary TB. At present, most animal models used to study novel TB vaccine candidates rely on the use of adult animals. Human studies show that the infant immune system is different to that of an adult. Understanding how the phenotypic profile and functional ability of the immature host immune system compares to that of a mature adult, together with the subsequent BCG immune response, is critical to ensuring that new TB vaccines are tested in the most appropriate models. BCG-specific immune responses were detected in macaques v

SUBMITTER: Sarfas C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8542880 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature