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A commonly used tuberculosis vaccine can help prevent coronavirus infections or reduce the severity of the virus, reports the Los Angeles Daily News.
According to a new study from Cedars-Sinai, the Bacillus Calmette-Guérin vaccine, also known as the BCG vaccine, may play a role in reducing the chances of contracting the virus.
The BCG vaccine was developed in the early 1900s. It is approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration and given to 100 million children worldwide each year.
According to the outlet, the vaccine is approved by the FDA to treat bladder cancer and also given to people at high risk of getting tuberculosis. It is currently being tested in several clinical trials for its effectiveness against COVID-19.
A new study published in The Journal of Clinical Investigation studied the blood of more than 6,000 healthcare workers in the Cedars-Sinai healthcare system for antibodies to the coronavirus.
The researchers noted that workers who had received BCG vaccinations in the past – nearly 30% of those studied – were significantly less likely to test positive for antibodies in their blood or to report having had coronavirus compared to people. who did not have the vaccine.
Dr Moshe Arditi, director of the division of pediatric and infectious diseases and immunology at Cedars-Sinai and co-lead author of the study, said it was not clear why people vaccinated had levels lower antibodies.
“It appears that individuals vaccinated with BCG either were less sick and therefore produced less anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, or they may have mounted a more effective cellular immune response against the virus,” said Arditi, professor of pediatrics and biomedical sciences. “We were interested in studying the BCG vaccine because it has long been known to have a general protective effect against a range of bacterial and viral diseases other than tuberculosis, including neonatal sepsis and respiratory infections.
The lower antibody levels in people vaccinated with BCG were present in people who were at higher risk for coronavirus because they also had high blood pressure, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or COPD.
Dr. Susan Cheng, associate professor of cardiology and director of public health research at the Smidt Heart Institute in Cedars-Sinai and co-lead author of the study, said that “large randomized clinical trials are urgently needed to confirm whether BCG vaccination can induce a protective effect against SARS-CoV-2 infection. “
While researchers agree the BCG vaccine will not be as effective as a coronavirus vaccine, Arditi said it could be made available quickly and serve as a bridge until a COVID-19 vaccine is available .
“It would be wonderful if one of the oldest vaccines we have could help defeat the most recent global pandemic,” Arditi said.
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