BCG vaccine and post-BCG complications among infants in Gaza Strip, 1999

Abstract

The relationship between post-BCG complications and the practices of administration and/or use of certain batches of BCG vaccine was investigated. A questionnaire was given to nurses administering BCG vaccination. An abstraction sheet was used to analyse cases with BCG complications among infants (n = 552) and schoolchildren (n = 97). The rate of complications was 14.7/1000 among infants and 2.5/1000 among schoolchildren in 1997. The complications rate was 19.1/1000 at UNRWA and 8.3/1000 at governmental health services. It was found that a single batch of BCG 2611-11 combined with incorrect administering of the vaccine was responsible for this outbreak of complications. Therefore, the establishment of a surveillance system to monitor adverse events following immunization is needed.