A century of BCG vaccination: Immune mechanisms, animal models, non-traditional routes and implications for COVID-19.

ABSTRACT: Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) has been used as a vaccine against tuberculosis since 1921 and remains the only currently approved vaccine for this infection. The recent discovery that BCG protects against initial infection, and not just against progression from latent to active disease, has significant implications for ongoing research into the immune mechanisms that are relevant to generate a solid host defense against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). In this review, we first explore the different components of immunity that are augmented after BCG vaccination. Next, we summarize current efforts to improve the efficacy of BCG through the development of recombinant strains, heterologous prime-boost approaches and the deployment of non-traditional routes. These efforts have included

SUBMITTER: Singh S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9459386 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature