Using BCG Vaccine to Enhance Nonspecific Protection of Health Care Workers During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
J Infect Dis
; 229(2): 384-393, 2024 Feb 14.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-37774494
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
The BCG (Bacillus Calmette-Guérin) vaccine can induce nonspecific protection against unrelated infections. We aimed to test the effect of BCG on absenteeism and health of Danish health care workers (HCWs) during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.METHODS:
A single-blinded randomized controlled trial included 1221 HCWs from 9 Danish hospitals. Participants were randomized 11 to standard dose BCG or placebo. Primary outcome was days of unplanned absenteeism. Main secondary outcomes were incidence of COVID-19, all-cause hospitalization, and infectious disease episodes.RESULTS:
There was no significant effect of BCG on unplanned absenteeism. Mean number of days absent per 1000 workdays was 20 in the BCG group and 17 in the placebo group (risk ratio, 1.23; 95% credibility interval, 0.98-1.53). BCG had no effect on incidence of COVID-19 or all-cause hospitalization overall. In secondary analyses BCG revaccination was associated with higher COVID-19 incidence (hazard ratio [HR], 2.47; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.07-5.71), but also reduced risk of hospitalization (HR, 0.28; 95% CI, .09-.86). The incidence of infectious disease episodes was similar between randomization groups (HR, 1.09; 95% CI, .96-1.24).CONCLUSIONS:
In this relatively healthy cohort of HCWs, there was no overall effect of BCG on any of the study outcomes. CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION NCT0437329 and EU Clinical Trials Register (EudraCT number 2020-001888-90).Palabras clave
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Contexto en salud:
1_ASSA2030
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3_ND
/
4_TD
Problema de salud:
1_doencas_nao_transmissiveis
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1_doencas_transmissiveis
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3_neglected_diseases
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3_tuberculosis
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3_zoonosis
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4_pneumonia
Asunto principal:
Enfermedades Transmisibles
/
COVID-19
Tipo de estudio:
Clinical_trials
Límite:
Humans
Idioma:
En
Revista:
J Infect Dis
Año:
2024
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Dinamarca