Rates of adverse reactions to first and second doses of BCG vaccination: results of a large community trial in Brazilian schoolchildren.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the incidence of adverse reactions to first and second bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination in schoolchildren.

SETTING AND

DESIGN

Enhanced surveillance in a Brazilian trial. Suspected reactions were reported to a nurse who visited cases and completed a standard form.

RESULTS

Among 71341 schoolchildren studied, 33 reactions were reported. Of these, 25 fulfilled the criteria, resulting in a rate of one per 2854 vaccinations, with no deaths or BCG-osis. Reactions to second doses were more common than to first BCG vaccinations, but this difference was not statistically significant.

CONCLUSIONS

Adverse reactions to a second dose of BCG may be more frequent than reactions to a first dose, but they are still rare events.