Upsurge in BCG vaccine induced lymphadenitis: Case series

Abstract

Introduction: Tuberculosis is one of the serious healthcare concerns of the world today. The only vaccine available for tuberculosis till date is the BCG vaccine. It is one of the safest vaccine and is less commonly associated with adverse effects. However, recently we have seen an upsurge in number of BCG vaccine associated lymphadenitis in our hospital. Objective: To report the increase in number of BCG associated lymphadenitis cases in our hospital. Materials and methods: A total of ten cases of BCG associated lymphadenitis were seen in our hospital in the past one year. (May 2016 to April 2017) Data related to vaccination and the course of lymphadenitis was collected from the parents. Observations/Results: Out of the ten cases, 3 were vaccinated outside while the remaining infants were vaccinated in our hospital. Three out of the ten infants required intervention and remaining 7 were reassured and followed up, the swelling subsided in most of them. The most probable cause of the increased incidence in our hospital could be because of a particular batch of vaccine containing an altered strain/ change in the number of viable organism. Conclusion: We are reporting the cases as it might lead to an awareness among other practitioners and will also provide a scope for further studies. Increased surveillance and appropriate treatment guidelines for BCG vaccine associated lymphadenitis is the need of the hour.