Extra-pulmonary tuberculosis in BCG-vaccinated patients.

Six patients with extra-pulmonary tuberculosis who presented within a 2-year period to the Paediatric Department of the Faculty of Medicine, Galle, Sri Lanka, are presented. In spite of the BCG vaccination being given to all of them at birth, five patients subsequently developed miliary tuberculosis and one patient bone tuberculosis. The likely reasons for failure of BCG vaccination to prevent extra-pulmonary complications developing are discussed.