Publication: Bulletin of the World Health Organization; Type: Research
AC Hesseling et al. Risk of disseminated BCG disease and HIV infection Disseminated bacille Calmette–Guérin disease in HIV- infected South African infants
AC Hesseling,a LF Johnson,b H Jaspan,c MF Cotton,c A Whitelaw,d HS Schaaf,c PEM Fine,e BS Eley,f BJ Marais,a J Nuttall,f N Beyersa & P Godfrey-Faussett7 a Desmond Tutu TB Centre, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Stellenbosch University, PO Box 19063, Tygerberg. 7505, South Africa.
b Centre for Actuarial Research, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa. c Tygerberg Academic Hospital and Children's Infectious Diseases Clinical Research Unit, Tygerberg, South Africa.
d Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa. e Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, London School of Hygiene, London, England.
f Paediatric Infectious Diseases Unit, Red Cross Children's Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa.
Correspondence to AC Hesseling (e-mail: [email protected]).
(Submitted: 10 June 2008 – Revised version received: 11 October 2008 – Accepted: 20 October 2008 – Published online: 16 April 2009) Bull World Health Organ 2009;87:XXX–XXX.
Publication: Bulletin of the World Health Organization; Type: Research
Une traduction en français de ce résumé figure à la fin de l'article. Al final del artículo se facilita una traducción al español. ﺔﻤﺟﺮﺘﻟا ﺔﻴﺑﺮﻌﻟا ەذەﻟ ﺔﺻﻼﺨﻟا ﻲﻓ ﺔﻳاەﻧ ﺺﻨﻟا ﻞﻣﺎﻜﻟا ەذەﻟ ﺔﻟﺎﻘﻤﻟا. Abstract Objective To determine the population-based incidence of disseminated bacille Calmette–Guérin (BCG) disease in HIV-infected infants (aged ≤ 1 year) in a setting with high burden oftuberculosis and HIV infection coupled with a well- functioning programme for the prevention of HIV infection to infants. Methods The numerator, or number of new cases of disseminated BCG disease, was derived from multicentre surveillance data collected prospectively on infants with a confirmed HIV infection during 2004–2006. The denominator, or total number of HIV-infected infants who were BCG-vaccinated, was derived from population-based estimates of the number of live infants and from reported maternal HIV infection prevalence, vertical HIV transmission rates and BCG vaccination rates. Findings The estimated incidences of disseminated BCG disease in HIV- infected infants were as follows: 778 per 100 000 (95% confidence interval, CI: 361–1319) in 2004 (vertical HIV transmission rate: 10.4%); 1300 per 100 000 (95% CI: 587–2290) in 2005 (transmission rate: 6.1%); and 1013 per 100 000 (95% CI: 377–1895) in 2006 (transmission rate: 5.4%). The pooled incidence over the study period was 992 per 100 000 (95% CI: 567–1495). Conclusion Multicentre surveillance data showed that the risk of disseminated BCG disease in HIV-infected infants was considerably higher than previously estimated. There is an urgent need for data on the risk–benefit ratio of BCG vaccination in HIV-infected infants to inform decision-making in settings where HIV infection and tuberculosis burdens are high. Safe and effective tuberculosis prevention strategies are needed for HIV-infected infants.
Background Vaccination with bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG), a live attenuated strain of
Mycobacterium bovis, is almost universally given in sub-Saharan African countries
where the brunt of the global burden of paediatric infection with type-1 HIV is
concentrated. The Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) estimates that
390 000–420 000 children <15 years of age acquire HIV infection each year.1 BCG
vaccination is usually given at birth or in the perinatal period. In 2002, an estimated 75%
of the 130 million children born worldwide were vaccinated with BCG.2
BCG has consistent efficacy for the prevention of disseminated tuberculosis in
young children without HIV infection. A recent meta-analysis indicates a summary
Publication: Bulletin of the World Health Organization; Type: Research
protective BCG effect of 73% (95% confidence interval, CI: 67–79) against tuberculous
meningitis and 77% (95% CI: 58–87) against miliary tuberculosis.2
In contrast, there is limited evidence that BCG has a protective effect in HIV-
infected infants and children.3,4 Moreover, a high incidence of tuberculosis, in whom a
high incidence of culture-confirmed has been reported (1596 per 100 000; 95% CI: 115–
2132 amongst South African HIV-infected infants), a rate 24.2-fold higher than observed
in HIV-uninfected infants.5 It is possible that HIV-related suppression of T cells
compromises specific T-cell mediated immune responses and reduces BCG efficacy in
Adverse events linked to BCG vaccination range from mild, localized
complications to more serious, systemic or disseminated BCG disease, in which M. bovis
BCG is confirmed from at one or more anatomical sites distant from both the injection
site and regional lymph nodes.6 Disseminated BCG disease is associated with a case
fatality rate of > 70% in infants.6,7 compared to a background mortality amongst South
African HIV-infected infants of 12.2 per 100 person-years (95% CI: 8.2–17.4).8
Systemic or disseminated BCG disease (dBCG) may be clinically
indistinguishable from tuberculosis and can only be confirmed by obtaining positive
mycobacterial cultures species identification, preferably by polymerase chain reaction
(PCR) for the RD1 genetic region, lost during attenuation of BCG.9
While the documented risk of dBCG in non-HIV-infected infants is < 5 per 1 million
vaccinees and is associated with rare congenital immune deficiencies,10 the risk of dBCG was
previously shown to be 110 to 417 per 100,000 in HIV-infected infants routinely vaccinated at
birth.3,11 Consequently, in 2007 the WHO Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety
(GACVS) and the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) recommended revising BCG
vaccination policy for HIV-infected infants.12,13 This milestone recommendation and the ensuing
change in policy14 have resulted in HIV infection becoming a full contraindication for BCG
vaccination in infants, even in those who are asymptomatic at birth and at risk of
Mycobacterium tuberculosis(M.tuberculosis)) infection early in life. In preceding years,
WHO advised increasing caution on the use of BCG in HIV-infected children, following
case reports of disseminated BCG disease.3,6,7,15 WHO also called for more
Publication: Bulletin of the World Health Organization; Type: Research
epidemiological data on the true impact of serious BCG adverse events and for closer
monitoring of these events in areas of high HIV infection prevalence, with a specific
focus on distinguishing BCG infection from disease caused by M. tuberculosis.12,13 In
light of the limited data available to inform the discussion of BCG risks and benefits in
HIV-infected infants, we conducted a multicentre surveillance study to estimate more
accurately the population incidence of disseminated BCG disease in HIV-infected infants
in a setting where tuberculosis and HIV infection are highly endemic and universal
Study setting and design This multicentre prospective hospital-based surveillance study was conducted between 1
January 2004 and 31 December 2006 in the three paediatric referral hospitals that service
the Western Cape Province, South Africa: Tygerberg Children’s Hospital, Red Cross
Children’s Hospital and Groote Schuur Hospital. These hospitals have specialist
paediatric HIV services and routinely perform mycobacterial culture in children with
suspected mycobacterial disease at in conjunction with speciation of M. tuberculosis
complex isolates. Routine prospective laboratory surveillance for BCG-related adverse
events was initiated following earlier case reports of serious BCG complications in HIV-
In South Africa, universal BCG vaccination of infants at birth was implemented
in 1973. Most infants are born in health-care centres. Since 2000, intradermal vaccination
with the M. bovis Danish strain 1331 (Statens Serum Institute, Copenhagen, Denmark) is
administered in the right deltoid region. In 2005, neonatal vaccination coverage was 98-
99% in the province16 and the overall tuberculosis incidence was 917 per 100 000 total
population.17 In 2006, the HIV infection prevalence among pregnant women in the public
health sector was 15.1% (95% CI: 11.6–18.7).18 There is a well-established public
programme for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV. HIV
testing is offered universally to women at their first antenatal visit. During 2004–2005,
dual therapy with zidovudine and nevirapine was used for PMTCT in both mothers and
infants. From 2006 onwards, zidovudine was initiated at 28 weeks of pregnancy rather
Publication: Bulletin of the World Health Organization; Type: Research
than 34 weeks. Currently, women whose CD4+ T-lymphocyte (CD4) count is ≤200
cells/mm3 are fast-tracked for highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). All HIV-
infected women are provided with free milk powder for 6 months if they choose to
formula-feed. Ifant HIV testing was offered at 14 weeks of age with a single HIV-DNA
PCR test and infants were followed for 6 months until discharged from the PMTCT
programme. The reported vertical HIV transmission rate varied from 5.4% to 10.4%
during the study period, reflection variations in the introduction, uptake and
performance of PMTCT regimens. The uptake of maternal antenatal HIV testing during
2006 was 93.0%; around 90% of women exclusively fed their infants using formula (data
from Western Cape Department of Health).
This study was approved by the research ethics committees of Stellenbosch
University and the University of Cape Town. Study implementation and reporting
adhered to STROBE (STrengthening the Reporting of OBservational studies in
Epidemiology) guidelines for the reporting of cross-sectional studies.19
Incidence of disseminated BCG disease
As dBCG is predominantly seen in HIV-infected children ≤ 1 year of age and who
exhibit rapid progression to advanced HIV disease,3,6,7 all HIV-infected children ≤ 1 year
of age (infants) diagnosed with disseminated BCG disease during the study period were
eligible for inclusion. The incidence of disseminated BCG disease was calculated as
previously described. 11 In addition CIs were derived from multiple sources of
uncertainty and actual reported, rather than estimated rates of vertical HIV transmission
were used. Two cases were included in a previous report from Tygerberg Children’s
Case definitions and data collection
Systemic or disseminated BCG disease (dBCG) was defined as the isolation of M. bovis
BCG from ≥1 clinical samples taken at sites distant from the vaccination site and regional
lymph nodes, including respiratory secretions, blood, bone marrow or cerebrospinal
fluid, and in the presence of a clinical syndrome consistent with dBCG .6 Patient data
were obtained from hospital and laboratory records. Mycobacterial culture and HIV
testing were routinely performed at the discretion of attending physicians. The
Publication: Bulletin of the World Health Organization; Type: Research
automated Middlebrook 7H9 broth-based Mycobacterial Growth Indicator Tube (MGIT)
culture system (Becton-Dickinson, Maryland, United States) was used for mycobacterial
culture; the identification of an isolate as M. bovis BCG was confirmed using a multiplex
PCR assay that distinguishes M. bovis BCG from other members of the M. tuberculosis
complex.9 The date on which the mycobacterial culture sample was obtained was used to
calculate patient age. Infant HIV infection status was determined using HIV-DNA PCR.
Numerator
The numerator for calculating the incidence of dBCG was the total estimated number of
HIV-infected infants diagnosed each year with dBCG at the three study hospitals during
the study period. Those with mycobacterial disease caused by M. tuberculosis or
nontuberculous mycobacteria, were excluded.
Denominator
In the absence of reliable population data on infants in Western Cape Province, a number
of different data sources were used to determine the denominator for the incidence of
disseminated BCG disease: i.e. the estimated annual number of HIV-infected BCG-
vaccinated infants in the province. Data from the Actuarial Society of South Africa
(ASSA) 2003 AIDS and Demographic Model for the Western Cape were used to estimate
the total number of person-years of observation for all infants.20,21 This model provides a
projection of the population of South Africa by age, sex, race, province and HIV status,
and allows for the impact of AIDS on mortality and fertility rates. It is calibrated to
census data, demographic and health survey data, and data on recorded deaths and HIV
infection prevalence in national surveys. The proportion of the total number of person-
years of observation that corresponded to HIV-infected infants was estimated using the
prevalence of maternal HIV infection in the province in conjunction with vertical HIV
transmission rates reported by the PMTCT programme. Finally, the reported BCG
vaccination coverage rate was used to estimate the number of HIV-infected BCG-
Confidence intervals
The CIs for the incidence rates were estimated through a bootstrap approach in which the
three key quantities used to calculate the incidence rate were treated as independent
Publication: Bulletin of the World Health Organization; Type: Research
random variables, as follows. Values for the number of cases of dBCG were sampled
from a Poisson distribution that had the same mean as the observed number of cases;
values for the HIV prevalence were sampled from β distributions based on means and
standard deviations determined from published antenatal prevalence estimates and
associated CIs; and values for mother-to-child transmission rates were sampled from β
distributions based on reported mother-to-child transmission rates and associated sample
sizes. The sampling procedure was repeated 10 000 times for each incidence estimate and
bootstrap CIs were obtained using the percentile method.22
Results In total, 32 cases of dBCG were confirmed in HIV-infected infants during the study
period: 12 in 2004, 12 in 2005 and 8 in 2006. All were included in the study analysis. No
cases were observed in infants without or with unknown HIV infection. 53 HIV-infected
infants had disease due to M. tuberculosis and 11 had disease due to nontuberculous
mycobacteria; these were excluded from analysis.
Table 1 shows the number of infants with dBCG disease, the estimated number of
infants with HIV infection, and the estimated incidence of dBCG in these infants. Figures
are for the Western Cape Province for the years 2004–2006. The estimated incidence was
as follows: 778 per 100 000 (95% CI: 361–1319) in 2004, with an estimated vertical HIV
transmission rate of 10.4%; 1300 per 100 000 (95% CI: 587–2290) in 2005, with an
estimated transmission rate of 6.1%; and 1013 per 100 000 (95% CI: 377–1895) in 2006,
with an estimated transmission rate of 5.4%. The pooled estimate for the incidence of
dBCG over the total study period was 992 per 100 000 (95% CI: 567–1495). The
infants’ mean age at presentation was 9 months (range: 1–12 months); 25 of the 32
infants died, resulting in an all-cause mortality rate of 78.1%. The median time to death
following a diagnosis of dBCG was 75 days (range: 0–359 days).
Discussion We present population estimates of disseminated BCG disease in routinely vaccinated
HIV-infected infants obtained through multicentre prospective surveillance. These data
confirm that BCG vaccination in HIV-infected infants poses a significant risk of
Publication: Bulletin of the World Health Organization; Type: Research
disseminated BCG disease, approximately 3- to 4-fold higher than earlier preliminary
estimates of 110–417 per 100 000 infants.11 The difference in risk estimates most likely
occurred because the present study included all three provincial referral hospitals,
whereas the earlier study included only one hospital, while the denominator for the
incidence calculation was derived using the same method. In addition, we used reported
rates for vertical HIV transmission in the study period rather than assumed rates of 5%,
10% and 15% in different scenarios.11 Our calculation of the CIs for the incidence rates
was based on three known sources of uncertainty. Thus, the result is more likely to reflect
the true uncertainty of the incidence estimates. The low incidence of dBCG disease found
in HIV-uninfected infants is consistent with other reports. (10, 11)
Our data support recently revised WHO recommendations against vaccinating
HIV-infected infants with BCG. However, it is difficult to decide how to defer BCG
vaccination selectively in all infants born to HIV-infected women in settings with high
burden of HIV and tuberculosis. The risk of dBCG in the relatively small number of
HIV-infected infants must be balanced against the risk of not vaccinating infants without
HIV infection, who remain the vast majority of infants.23
Recently, WHO has emphasized that application of the revised BCG vaccination
guidelines will depend on local factors,14 including the risk of exposure to M. tuberculosis, the prevalence of tuberculosis and HIV infections, the efficacy of PMTCT
programmes for HIV, breastfeeding patterns, and the ability to follow up immunized
children and to perform early virological testing. Other requirements include a good
tuberculosis surveillance system for pregnant women and their infants and well-
functioning integrated services for infant immunization and the treatment of HIV-infected
children. The four specific scenarios outlined by WHO affecting the balance of risks and
benefits of BCG vaccination in a setting with high tuberculosis and HIV infection
Implementation of the revised BCG vaccination guidelines is likely to be
challenging, even with a well-functioning PMTCT programmes and good diagnostic
facilities, as most HIV transmission occurs peripartum or postpartum. The sensitivity of a
Publication: Bulletin of the World Health Organization; Type: Research
single HIV-DNA PCR test performed < 48 hours after birth is < 40% but increases to
> 90% at 2–4 weeks.24 In South Africa and many other developing countries, HIV PCR
testing is performed only after 6 weeks, if at all. A key consideration is therefore, whether
infant vaccination and PMTCT programmes are able to accommodate selectively
delaying the BCG vaccination of HIV-exposed infants until 10–14 weeks after birth, for
example, at a routine vaccination visit after a negative HIV-DNA PCR test result.
Delayed vaccination could be combined with an alternative tuberculosis prevention
strategy, such as isoniazid treatment. Such an approach would require close collaboration
with other health programmes and an integrated PMTCT and infant vaccination
Better prevention of maternal and infant HIV infection and more rapid access to
HAART for those infected is likely to reduce the infant population at risk of dBCG as
well as the risk of severe vaccine complications in HIV-infected infants. The
International Union against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease BCG Working Group has
recently issued a consensus statement on the use of BCG vaccination in countries where
HIV and tuberculosis are highly prevalent.25
Although data on the risk of dBCG in infants on HAART are lacking, a recent
study demonstrated that giving HAART to HIV-infected infants ≤ 12 weeks of age
reduced all-cause mortality and tuberculosis in the first year of life compared with
deferring HAART until standard HIV symptomatic or CD4 criteria were met.8 In
addition, the incidence of BCG complications was lower.26
The available data therefore indicate a considerable risk of both tuberculosis and
serious BCG complications in HIV-infected infants, while there is little evidence that
BCG vaccination is beneficial in HIV-infected infants. In contrast, most infants without
an HIV infection benefit from BCG vaccination and are at a low risk of serious vaccine
complications. Little is known about the protective efficacy of BCG vaccination in
infants exposed to HIV but not HIV-infected, and who may be at high risk of tuberculosis
because of immunological factors or a high maternal risk of tuberculosis.28,29 BCG
vaccination should be offered to HIV-unexposed infants once HIV infection has been
Publication: Bulletin of the World Health Organization; Type: Research
The study has several limitations. Firstly, it is likely that numerator data were
underestimated as not all HIV-infected infants with dBCG in the province would have
been referred to and investigated in these three study hospitals. In addition, cases may
have been missed because mycobacterial disease in children is usually paucibacillary.
Secondly, the denominator – the number of HIV-infected infants– may have been
overestimated. In particular, HIV infection prevalence estimates were obtained only for
pregnant women attending public health facilities; the prevalence is likely to be lower in
those attending private health facilities, who will also have a lower rate of vertical
transmission due to better access to treatment. On the other hand, the denominator may
have been underestimated, as it was derived using vertical HIV transmission rates
reported by the provincial PMTCT programme, which may have been biased by
incomplete uptake of maternal HIV testing and PMTCT, loss to follow-up, inadequate
testing of HIV-exposed infants or missing data. In 2006, an estimated 93% of mothers
were tested for HIV and 74.7% of infants were tested at or after 14 weeks. The large CIs
reported in the present study reflect uncertainties in the vertical HIV transmission rate
and maternal HIV infection prevalence. Our survey should also be replicated in other
settings with different levels of mycobacterial exposure and susceptibility to tuberculosis
and HIV infection. In our study, dBCG was due to Danish strain 1331 BCG. Vaccine
strain may influence BCG-related adverse events and should be considered when these
are monitored and reported.30,31 We did not have data available on the incidence of
tuberculosis among non-vaccinated HIV-infected infants since the routine vaccination
In conclusion, the risk of dBCG was high in HIV-infected infants routinely
vaccinated at birth in a setting with high tuberculosis and HIV burden and a well-
functioning PMTCT programme. However, there are operational obstacles to selectively
defer BCG vaccination in infants born to HIV-infected women. Since not vaccinating an
infant who is exposed to HIV but remains uninfected may increases the risk of
disseminated tuberculosis, BCG vaccination should continue in settings where HIV
infection and tuberculosis are both highly endemic until it is feasible to implement a
policy of selective vaccination. Clear goals should be established for the implementation
of safe vaccination practices in HIV-infected infants and for reducing the burden of
Publication: Bulletin of the World Health Organization; Type: Research
maternal and infant tuberculosis. More data are needed on the protective effect of BCG
vaccination in HIV-infected infants and in HIV-exposed uninfected infants, as well as on
the operational feasibility of deferred BCG vaccination in HIV-exposed infants. Safe and
effective antituberculosis preventive strategies, including effective vaccines, are urgently
Acknowledgements We thank Wendy Brittle for completing mycobacterial culture, Robert Gie for helpful critical comments and the Western Cape Provincial PMTCT and EPI programmes (especially Pauline Pieters and Fawzia Desai) for providing HIV and vaccination data. Funding The Harry Crossley Foundation, Stellenbosch University, provided limited project funding. AC Hesseling was funded by a Commonwealth Scholarship. Competing interests None declared.
Publication: Bulletin of the World Health Organization; Type: Research
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Publication: Bulletin of the World Health Organization; Type: Research
Calmette-Guérin (BCG) among HIV- positive children and adults in Zambia. AIDS 2001;15:55-60. PMID:11192868 doi:10.1097/00002030-200101050-00009
Figure 1. Four scenarios outlined by WHO that affect the balance of risks and benefits of BCG vaccination in settings with high burden of tuberculosis and HIV infection14 1. Infants born to women of unknown HIV status. The benefits of BCG vaccination outweigh the risks, and infants should be vaccinated. 2. Infants whose HIV infection status is unknown and who demonstrate no sign or symptom of HIV infection, but who are born to women known to be HIV-infected. The benefits of BCG vaccination usually outweigh the risks, and infants should receive the vaccine after consideration of local factors. 3. Infants who are known to be HIV-infected, with or without signs or symptoms of HIV infection. The risks of BCG vaccination outweigh the benefits and infants should not receive the vaccine, but they should receive other routine vaccines. 4. Infants whose HIV infection status is unknown but who have signs or symptoms of HIV infection and who were born to HIV-infected mothers. Infants with unknown HIV infection status but who have signs or symptoms of HIV infection and were born to HIV-infected mothers. The risks of BCG vaccination usually outweigh the benefits, and children should not be vaccinated during the first few weeks of life, since clinical symptoms of HIV infection typically occur after 3 months of age. However, the vaccine can be given if HIV infection is ruled out by early virological testing.
Publication: Bulletin of the World Health Organization; Type: Research
Table 1. The estimated incidence of disseminated BCG disease in HIV- infected infants (aged ≤ 1 year) vaccinated at birth with BCG, Western Cape Province, South Africa
Year 2004
No. of cases of disseminated BCG disease in
Estimated total no. of infants ≤ 1 year of age 98 236
Provincial maternal HIV prevalence (% and
Reported vertical HIV transmission rate (%)
Estimated total no. of HIV-infected infants
disease per 100 000 HIV-infected vaccinated
infants (no. and 95% CI), assuming 98-99% BCG vaccination coverage
BCG, bacille Calmette-Guérin; CI, confidence interval.The pooled estimate for the incidence of disseminated BCG over the total study period was 992 per 100 000 (95% CI: 567–1495).
PAMIR Conference on Fundamental and Applied MHD Magnetism and magnetic particles in biology MAGNETIC PARTICLES FOR APPLICATION IN BIOMEDICINE M. Timko, M. Konerack´a, N. Tomaˇsoviˇcov´a, P. Kopˇcansk´y, V. Z´aviˇsov´a Institute of Experimental Physics SAS, 47 Watsonova, 043 53 Koˇsice, Slovakia Introduction. Magnetic drug delivery by particulate carriers is a very ef-
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