BMJ  2003;327:932 (18 October), doi:10.1136/bmj.327.7420.932

Letter

Tuberculin testing before BCG vaccination

Effect of age on adverse effects has not been made clear

The first 100% of the full text of this article appears below.

EDITOR—The editorial by Bothamley et al is usefully provocative.1 They begin by saying that the evidence base for the current recommendations is not clear. However, the evidence base for their idea is not clear either. The evidence on complications cited describes an age related effect for tuberculous skin lesions only in those over 15 years of age, and Bothamley et al do not say whether the increased frequency of this complication over that age is considered clinically significant.

Is age important or do the authors' conclusions also apply to children aged 10-14 (the age at which BCG is given to school children in the United Kingdom who live outside high prevalence areas such as the one in which Bothamley et al work) or even to adults as well?

Richard J Roberts, consultant in communicable disease control

National Public Health Service for Wales, Preswylfa, Mold, Flintshire CH7 1PZ richard.roberts@nphs.wales.nhs.uk

Competing interests: None declared.

  1. Bothamley GM, Cooper E, Shingadia D, Mellanby A. Tuberculin testing before BCG vaccination. BMJ 2003;327: 243-4. (2 August.)[Free Full Text]

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Relevant Article

Tuberculin testing before BCG vaccination
Graham H Bothamley, Ed Cooper, Delane Shingadia, and Alex Mellanby
BMJ 2003 327: 243-244. [Extract] [Full Text] [PDF]

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