Pharmacoepidemiological evaluation of BCG-osteitisinchildren

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Aim

To evaluate epidemiology and clinical features of osteitis in children vaccinated by BCG vaccine.

Material and methods

We retrospectively studied the reports of osteitis in children vaccinated by BCG vaccine in Russia from 2003 to 2014.

Results

Over 12 years, there were 522 reports of osseus complications after vaccination against tuberculosis in children. Unlike classic osseus tuberculosis that frequently involves spine, BCG osteitis was characterized by predominant lower extremities disease. Sixty percent of mothers of children with osseus complications had infectious or other diseases during pregnancy. Patients with BCG osteitis frequently presented with a history of recurrent acute respiratory viral infections and/or ENT diseases, perinatal central nervous system disease, intrauterine infections and allergic diseases. More than fifty percent of children with BCG osteitis were vaccinated according to the National Immunization Program.

Conclusion

We did not establish clinical predictors of BCG osteitis in children. All patients had no contraindications to vaccination against tuberculosis and did not develop adverse reactions after immunization with other pediatric vaccines, including live vaccines.

Key words

BCG osteitis, vaccinal prevention of tuberculosis, postvaccinal complications.