A study on the relationship between Bacillus CalmetteGurin (BCG) vaccination and Covid-19 prevalence: Do other confounders warrant investigation?

Abstract

The Covid-19 pandemic, which originated from Wuhan, Hubei province, China, and quickly spread to the rest of the globe is caused by SARS-CoV-2, a single-stranded RNA virus. Preliminary data suggest a relationship between the BCG vaccine and the prevalence of Covid-19. The BCG vaccine is used in the prevention of tuberculosis, a disease that is most prevalent in developing countries. To determine the potential protective role of BCG vaccination, this study investigated the occurrence of Covid-19 and the relationship between the spread of Covid-19 in countries that offer BCG vaccination and those that do not. The study also performed a phylogenetic analysis of the strains involved in the Covid-19 outbreak from the representative countries. To achieve the objectives, the study utilized publicly available data on population size, vaccination coverage, and Covid-19 cases. Phylogenetic analysis was used to determine if some SARS-CoV-2 strains were more prevalent than others. The study revealed a significant negative trend between countries that offer the BCG vaccine to the general population and the reported cases of Covid-19. The study proposes future molecular and immunological analyses to determine the potential role of BCG vaccination in protection against Covid-19. This will determine if BCG has antiviral properties, with the possibility of recommending it for widespread use if supported by scientific data. ### Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest. ### Funding Statement Not applicable ### Author Declarations All relevant ethical guidelines have been followed; any necessary IRB and/or ethics committee approvals have been obtained and details of the IRB/oversight body are included in the manuscript. Yes All necessary patient/participant consent has been obtained and the appropriate institutional forms have been archived. Yes I understand that all clinical trials and any other prospective interventional studies must be registered with an ICMJE-approved registry, such as ClinicalTrials.gov. I confirm that any such study reported in the manuscript has been registered and the trial registration ID is provided (note: if posting a prospective study registered retrospectively, please provide a statement in the trial ID field explaining why the study was not registered in advance). Yes I have followed all appropriate research reporting guidelines and uploaded the relevant EQUATOR Network research reporting checklist(s) and other pertinent material as supplementary files, if applicable. Yes The alignment sequences are in the supporting information and can be accessed via provided links.