01663nas a2200205   4500000000100000008004100001260001700042653001600059653002500075653001100100653001000111653001200121653001700133100001500150245009800165300000900263490000700272520116400279022001401443       2004                            d  c2004 Apr-Jun10aBCG Vaccine10aCase-Control Studies10aHumans10aIndia10aleprosy10aTuberculosis1 aZodpey S P00aThe BCG controversy: a reappraisal of the protective effect against tuberculosis and leprosy.  a70-70 v483 a<p>BCG (Bacillus Calmette Guerin) vaccine remains a highly controversial method of preventing tuberculosis and leprosy despite more than eighty years of use. The protective effect against tuberculosis observed in various studies ranged from -56% to 98%. Case-control studies carried out at Nagpur reported moderate effectiveness of BCG vaccination in prevention of tuberculosis. Its effectiveness was higher against extra-pulmonary tuberculosis. The summary protective effects obtained from meta-analysis of trials, cohort studies and case-control studies of BCG vaccination and tuberculosis were 51 (33-64), 76 (63-85), and 65 (57-72) percent respectively. The case-control studies carried out at Nagpur also demonstrated a significant protective association between BCG vaccination and leprosy. The summary protective effects obtained from meta-analysis of trials, cohort studies and case-control studies of BCG vaccination and leprosy were 43 (27-55), 62 (53-69), and 59 (46-68) percent respectively. The results of the current study and systematic review thus supported arguments favoring use of BCG vaccine for prevention of tuberculosis and leprosy.</p>  a0019-557X