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Antas PRZ, Flores-Valdez MA, Locht C. Revamping the BCG revaccination strategy: Records to recall, or just call it phoenix? Hum Vaccin Immunother 2024; 20:2300158. [PMID: 38287731 PMCID: PMC10829833 DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2023.2300158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Paulo R. Z. Antas
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Patologia, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Brazil
| | - Mario A. Flores-Valdez
- Biotecnología Médica y Farmacéutica, Centro de Investigación y Asistencia en Tecnología y diseño del Estado de Jalisco, Mexico
| | - Camille Locht
- University of Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, France
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Messina NL, Pittet LF, McDonald E, Moore C, Barry S, Bonten M, Byrne A, Campbell J, Croda J, Croda MG, Dalcolmo M, de Almeida E Val FF, de Oliveira RD, Dos Santos G, Douglas MW, Gardiner K, Gwee A, Jardim BA, Kollmann T, Lacerda MV, Lucas M, Lynn DJ, Manning L, Marshall H, O'Connell A, Perrett KP, Post JJ, Prat-Aymerich C, Rocha JL, Rodriguez-Baño J, Wadia U, Warris A, Davidson A, Curtis N. BCG vaccination of healthcare workers for protection against COVID-19: 12-month outcomes from an international randomised controlled trial. J Infect 2024; 89:106245. [PMID: 39127450 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinf.2024.106245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2024] [Accepted: 08/05/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine has immunomodulatory effects that may provide protection against unrelated infectious diseases. We aimed to determine whether BCG vaccination protects adults against COVID-19. DESIGN Phase III double-blind randomised controlled trial. SETTING Healthcare centres in Australia, Brazil, the Netherlands, Spain, and the United Kingdom during the COVID-19 pandemic. PARTICIPANTS 3988 healthcare workers with no prior COVID-19 and no contraindication to BCG. INTERVENTION Randomised 1:1 using a web-based procedure to receive a single 0.1 mL intradermal dose of BCG-Denmark (BCG group, n = 1999) or saline (placebo group, n = 1989). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Difference in incidence of (i) symptomatic and (ii) severe COVID-19 during the 12 months following randomisation in the modified intention to treat (mITT) population (confirmed SARS-CoV-2 naïve at inclusion). RESULTS Of the 3988 participants randomised, 3386 had a negative baseline SARS-CoV-2 test and were included in the mITT population. The 12-month adjusted estimated risk of symptomatic COVID-19 was higher in the BCG group (22.6%; 95% confidence interval [CI] 20.6 to 24.5%) compared with the placebo group (19.6%; 95% CI 17.6 to 21.5%); adjusted difference +3.0% points (95% CI 0.2 to 5.8%; p = 0.04). The 12-month adjusted estimated risk of severe COVID-19 (mainly comprising those reporting being unable to work for ≥3 consecutive days) was 11.0% in the BCG group (95% CI 9.5 to 12.4%) compared with 9.6% in the placebo group (95% CI 8.3 to 11.1%); adjusted difference +1.3% points (95% CI -0.7 to 3.3%, p = 0.2). Breakthrough COVID-19 (post COVID-19 vaccination) and asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections were similar in the two groups. There were 18 hospitalisations due to COVID-19 (11 in BCG group, 7 in placebo group; adjusted hazard ratio 1.56, 95% CI 0.60 to 4.02, p = 0.4) and two deaths due to COVID-19, both in the placebo group. CONCLUSIONS Compared to placebo, vaccination with BCG-Denmark increased the risk of symptomatic COVID-19 over 12 months among healthcare workers and did not decrease the risk of severe COVID-19 or post-vaccination breakthrough COVID-19. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04327206.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole L Messina
- Infectious Diseases Group, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Laure F Pittet
- Infectious Diseases Group, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Immunology, Vaccinology, Rheumatology and Infectious Diseases Unit, Geneva and University Hospitals and Faculty of Medicine, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Ellie McDonald
- Infectious Diseases Group, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Cecilia Moore
- Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics Unit, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Simone Barry
- Precision Medicine Theme, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia; Department of Thoracic Medicine, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Marc Bonten
- Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht University, the Netherlands; European Clinical Research Alliance on Infectious Diseases, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Anthony Byrne
- St Vincent's Hospitals, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia; Partners In Health, Socios En Salud, Peru; Thoracic Society of Australia & New Zealand (NSW/ACT Branch), Australia
| | - John Campbell
- Exeter Collaboration for Academic Primary Care, University of Exeter Medical School, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Julio Croda
- Fiocruz Mato Grosso do Sul, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil; Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA; Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil
| | - Mariana G Croda
- Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil
| | - Margareth Dalcolmo
- Centro de Referência Professor Hélio Fraga, ENSP/FIOCRUZ (Fundação Oswaldo Cruz), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - Roberto D de Oliveira
- State University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Dourados, Brazil; Post Graduate Program in Health Sciences, Federal University of Grande Dourados, Dourados, Brazil
| | - Glauce Dos Santos
- Centro de Referência Professor Hélio Fraga, ENSP/FIOCRUZ (Fundação Oswaldo Cruz), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Mark W Douglas
- Storr Liver Centre, The Westmead Institute for Medical Research, The University of Syndey at Westmead Hospital, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia; Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Sydney Infectious Diseases Institute, The University of Sydney at Westmead Hospital, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Kaya Gardiner
- Infectious Diseases Group, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Research Operations, The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Amanda Gwee
- Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Infectious Diseases, Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Antimicrobials Group, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Bruno A Jardim
- Institute of Clinical Research Carlos Borborema, Doctor Heitor Vieira Dourado Tropical Medicine Foundation, Manaus, Brazil
| | - Tobias Kollmann
- Wesfarmers Centre for Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, Telethon Kids Institute, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Marcus Vg Lacerda
- Institute of Clinical Research Carlos Borborema, Doctor Heitor Vieira Dourado Tropical Medicine Foundation, Manaus, Brazil; Instituto Leônidas & Maria Deane, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation Ministry of Health, Manaus, Brazil; University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Michaela Lucas
- Department of Immunology, Pathwest, Queen Elizabeth II Medical Centre, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia; Department of Immunology, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia; Department of Immunology, Perth Children's Hospital, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia; School of Medicine, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - David J Lynn
- Precision Medicine Theme, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia; Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, Flinders University, Bedford Park, South Australia, Australia
| | - Laurens Manning
- Wesfarmers Centre for Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, Telethon Kids Institute, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia; School of Medicine, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia; Department of Infectious Diseases, Fiona Stanley Hospital, Murdoch, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Helen Marshall
- The University of Adelaide and the Women's and Children's Health Network, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Abby O'Connell
- Exeter Clinical Trials Unit, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Kirsten P Perrett
- Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Population Allergy Group, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Department of Allergy and Immunology, Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jeffrey J Post
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick, New South Wales, Australia; School of Clinical Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Cristina Prat-Aymerich
- Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht University, the Netherlands; European Clinical Research Alliance on Infectious Diseases, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Jorge L Rocha
- Helio Fraga Reference Center, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation Ministry of Health, Curicica, Brazil
| | - Jesus Rodriguez-Baño
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Department of Medicine, Hospital Universitario Virgen Macarena, University of Seville, Biomedicines Institute of Seville-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Seville, Spain; CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto de Salud Carloss III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ushma Wadia
- Wesfarmers Centre for Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, Telethon Kids Institute, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia; School of Medicine, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Adilia Warris
- Medical Research Council Centre for Medical Mycology, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom; Department of Infectious Diseases, Great Ormond Street Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew Davidson
- Melbourne Children's Trial Centre, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Nigel Curtis
- Infectious Diseases Group, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Infectious Diseases, Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
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Pittet LF, Messina NL, McDonald E, Orsini F, Barry S, Bonten M, Campbell J, Croda J, Croda MG, Dalcolmo M, Gardiner K, Gwee A, Jardim B, Lacerda MV, Lucas M, Lynn DJ, Manning L, Perrett KP, Post JJ, Prat-Aymerich C, Richmond PC, Rocha JL, Rodriguez-Baño J, Warris A, Wood NJ, Davidson A, Curtis N. Bacille Calmette-Guérin vaccination to prevent febrile and respiratory illness in adults (BRACE): secondary outcomes of a randomised controlled phase 3 trial. EClinicalMedicine 2024; 72:102616. [PMID: 38774675 PMCID: PMC11106519 DOI: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2024.102616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2024] [Revised: 04/03/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 05/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination has off-target (non-specific) effects that are associated with protection against unrelated infections and decreased all-cause mortality in infants. We aimed to determine whether BCG vaccination prevents febrile and respiratory infections in adults. Methods This randomised controlled phase 3 trial was done in 36 healthcare centres in Australia, Brazil, the Netherlands, Spain, and the United Kingdom. Healthcare workers were randomised to receive BCG-Denmark (single 0.1 ml intradermal injection) or no BCG in a 1:1 ratio using a web-based procedure, stratified by stage, site, age, and presence of co-morbidity. The difference in occurrence of febrile or respiratory illness were measured over 12 months (prespecified secondary outcome) using the intention-to-treat (ITT) population. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04327206. Findings Between March 30, 2020, and April 1, 2021, 6828 healthcare workers were randomised to BCG-Denmark (n = 3417) or control (n = 3411; no intervention or placebo) groups. The 12-month adjusted estimated risk of ≥1 episode of febrile or respiratory illness was 66.8% in the BCG group (95% CI 65.3%-68.2%), compared with 63.4% in the control group (95% CI 61.8%-65.0%), a difference of +3.4 percentage points (95% CI +1.3% to +5.5%; p 0.002). The adjusted estimated risk of a severe episode (defined as being incapacitated for ≥3 consecutive days or hospitalised) was 19.4% in the BCG group (95% CI 18.0%-20.7%), compared with 18.8% in the control group (95% CI 17.4%-20.2%) a difference of +0.6 percentage points (95% CI -1.3% to +2.5%; p 0.6). Both groups had a similar number of episodes of illness, pneumonia, and hospitalisation. There were three deaths, all in the control group. There were no safety concerns following BCG vaccination. Interpretation In contrast to the beneficial off-target effects reported following neonatal BCG in infants, a small increased risk of symptomatic febrile or respiratory illness was observed in the 12 months following BCG vaccination in adults. There was no evidence of a difference in the risk of severe disease. Funding Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Minderoo Foundation, Sarah and Lachlan Murdoch, the Royal Children's Hospital Foundation, Health Services Union NSW, the Peter Sowerby Foundation, SA Health, the Insurance Advisernet Foundation, the NAB Foundation, the Calvert-Jones Foundation, the Modara Pines Charitable Foundation, the UHG Foundation Pty Ltd, Epworth Healthcare, the National Health and Medical Research Council, the Swiss National Science Foundation and individual donors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laure F. Pittet
- Infectious Diseases Group, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Infectious Diseases, The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Immunology, Vaccinology, Rheumatology, and Infectious Diseases Unit, Department of Paediatrics, Gynaecology and Obsterics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva and University Hospitals of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Nicole L. Messina
- Infectious Diseases Group, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Ellie McDonald
- Infectious Diseases Group, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Francesca Orsini
- Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics Unit, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Melbourne Children's Trial Centre, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Simone Barry
- Precision Medicine Theme, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- Department of Thoracic Medicine, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Marc Bonten
- Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht University, the Netherlands
| | - John Campbell
- Exeter Collaboration for Academic Primary Care, University of Exeter Medical School, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Julio Croda
- Fiocruz Mato Grosso do Sul, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Campo Grande, Brazil
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
- Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, Brazil
| | - Mariana G. Croda
- Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, Brazil
| | - Margareth Dalcolmo
- Helio Fraga Reference Center, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation Ministry of Health, Curicica, Brazil
- Catholic University, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Kaya Gardiner
- Infectious Diseases Group, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Research Operations, The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Amanda Gwee
- Infectious Diseases Group, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Infectious Diseases, The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Bruno Jardim
- Institute of Clinical Research Carlos Borborema, Doctor Heitor Vieira Dourado Tropical Medicine Foundation, Manaus, Brazil
| | - Marcus V.G. Lacerda
- Institute of Clinical Research Carlos Borborema, Doctor Heitor Vieira Dourado Tropical Medicine Foundation, Manaus, Brazil
- Instituto Leônidas & Maria Deane, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation Ministry of Health, Manaus, Brazil
- University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Michaela Lucas
- Department of Immunology, Pathwest, Queen Elizabeth II Medical Centre, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia
- Department of Immunology, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia
- Department of Immunology and General Paediatrics, Perth Children's Hospital, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia
- School of Medicine, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - David J. Lynn
- Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, Flinders University, Bedford Park, South Australia, Australia
| | - Laurens Manning
- School of Medicine, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
- Wesfarmers Centre for Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, Telethon Kids Institute, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Fiona Stanley Hospital, Murdoch, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Kirsten P. Perrett
- Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Melbourne Children's Trial Centre, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Allergy and Immunology, Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Jeffrey J. Post
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick, New South Wales, Australia
- School of Clinical Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Cristina Prat-Aymerich
- Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht University, the Netherlands
- Institut d'Investigació Germans Trias i Pujol, Departament de Genètica i Microbiologia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red (CIBER) de Enfermedades Respiratorias, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Peter C. Richmond
- Department of Immunology and General Paediatrics, Perth Children's Hospital, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia
- School of Medicine, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
- Wesfarmers Centre for Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, Telethon Kids Institute, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Jorge L. Rocha
- Helio Fraga Reference Center, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation Ministry of Health, Curicica, Brazil
| | - Jesus Rodriguez-Baño
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Department of Medicine, Hospital Universitario Virgen Macarena, University of Seville, Biomedicines Institute of Seville-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Seville, Spain
- CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto de Salud Carloss III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Adilia Warris
- Medical Research Council Centre for Medical Mycology, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Nicholas J. Wood
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Sydney Children's Hospital Network, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia
- National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance of Vaccine Preventable Disease, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Andrew Davidson
- Melbourne Children's Trial Centre, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Nigel Curtis
- Infectious Diseases Group, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Infectious Diseases, The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
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Greenblatt CL, Lathe R. Vaccines and Dementia: Part II. Efficacy of BCG and Other Vaccines Against Dementia. J Alzheimers Dis 2024; 98:361-372. [PMID: 38393913 DOI: 10.3233/jad-231323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
There is growing awareness that infections may contribute to the development of senile dementia including Alzheimer's disease (AD), and that immunopotentiation is therefore a legitimate target in the management of diseases of the elderly including AD. In Part I of this work, we provided a historical and molecular background to how vaccines, adjuvants, and their component molecules can elicit broad-spectrum protective effects against diverse agents, culminating in the development of the tuberculosis vaccine strain Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) as a treatment for some types of cancer as well as a prophylactic against infections of the elderly such as pneumonia. In Part II, we critically review studies that BCG and other vaccines may offer a measure of protection against dementia development. Five studies to date have determined that intravesicular BCG administration, the standard of care for bladder cancer, is followed by a mean ∼45% reduction in subsequent AD development in these patients. Although this could potentially be ascribed to confounding factors, the finding that other routine vaccines such as against shingles (herpes zoster virus) and influenza (influenza A virus), among others, also offer a degree of protection against AD (mean 29% over multiple studies) underlines the plausibility that the protective effects are real. We highlight clinical trials that are planned or underway and discuss whether BCG could be replaced by key components of the mycobacterial cell wall such as muramyl dipeptide. We conclude that BCG and similar agents merit far wider consideration as prophylactic agents against dementia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles L Greenblatt
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada (IMRIC), Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Richard Lathe
- Division of Infection Medicine, University of Edinburgh Medical School, Edinburgh, UK
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Pittet LF, Moore CL, McDonald E, Barry S, Bonten M, Campbell J, Croda J, Dalcolmo M, Davidson A, Douglas MW, Gardiner K, Gwee A, Jardim B, Lacerda MV, Lucas M, Lynn DJ, Manning L, de Oliveira RD, Perrett KP, Prat-Aymerich C, Richmond PC, Rocha JL, Rodriguez-Baño J, Warris A, Wood NJ, Messina NL, Curtis N. Bacillus Calmette-Guérin vaccination for protection against recurrent herpes labialis: a nested randomised controlled trial. EClinicalMedicine 2023; 64:102203. [PMID: 37719417 PMCID: PMC10500555 DOI: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2023.102203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Revised: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Recurrences of herpes simplex virus (HSV) in the orofacial region (herpes labialis or cold sores) impact quality-of-life. We aimed to study whether the bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine can attenuate cold sore recurrences through off-target immunomodulatory effects. Methods In this nested randomised controlled trial within the multicentre, phase 3 BRACE trial, 6828 healthcare workers were randomised in 36 sites in Australia, the Netherlands, Spain, the United Kingdom and Brazil, to receive BCG-Denmark or no BCG (1:1 ratio using a web-based procedure) and followed for 12 months with 3-monthly questionnaires. Exclusion criteria included contraindication to BCG vaccine or previous vaccination with BCG within the past year, any other live-attenuated vaccine within the last month, or any COVID-specific vaccine. The intervention group received one intradermal dose of 0.1 mL of BCG-Denmark corresponding to 2-8 x 105 colony forming units of Mycobacterium bovis, Danish strain 1331. The primary outcome was the difference in restricted mean survival time (i.e., time to first cold-sore recurrence), in participants with frequent recurrent herpes labialis (≥4 recurrences/year), analysed by intention-to-treat. Secondary outcomes addressed additional questions, including analyses in other sub-populations. Adverse events were monitored closely during the first 3 months and were reported in all participants who received one dose of study drug according to intervention received. The BRACE trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04327206. Findings Between March 30, 2020 and February 18, 2021, 84 individuals with frequent recurrent cold sores were randomly assigned to BCG (n = 38) or control (n = 46). The average time to first cold-sore recurrence was 1.55 months longer in the BCG group (95% CI 0.27-2.82, p = 0.02) than the control group (hazard ratio 0.54, 95% CI 0.32-0.91; intention-to-treat). The beneficial effect of BCG was greater in the as-treated population (difference 1.91 months, 95% CI 0.69-3.12, p = 0.003; hazard ratio 0.45, 95% CI 0.26-0.76). In prespecified subgroup analyses, only sex modified the treatment effect (interaction p = 0.007), with benefit restricted to males. Over 12 months, a greater proportion of participants in the BCG group compared with the control group reported a decrease in duration (61% vs 21%), severity (74% vs 21%), frequency (55% vs 21%), and impact on quality of life (42% vs 15%) of cold sore recurrences. In participants who had ever had a cold sore, there was also a decrease in self-reported burden of recurrences in the BCG group. In participants who had never had a cold sore, there was an increased risk of a first episode in the BCG group (risk difference 1.4%; 95% CI 0.3-2.6%, p = 0.02). There were no safety concerns. Interpretation BCG-Denmark vaccination had a beneficial effect on herpes labialis, particularly in males with frequent recurrences, but may increase the risk of a first cold sore. Funding Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Minderoo Foundation, Sarah and Lachlan Murdoch, the Royal Children's Hospital Foundation, Health Services Union NSW, the Peter Sowerby Foundation, SA Health, the Insurance Advisernet Foundation, the NAB Foundation, the Calvert-Jones Foundation, the Modara Pines Charitable Foundation, the UHG Foundation Pty Ltd, Epworth Healthcare, and individual donors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laure F. Pittet
- Infectious Diseases Group, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Infectious Diseases, Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Immunology, Vaccinology, and Infectious Diseases Unit, Department of Paediatrics, Gynaecology and Obsterics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva and University Hospitals of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Cecilia L. Moore
- Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics Unit, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Melbourne Children's Trial Centre, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Ellie McDonald
- Infectious Diseases Group, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Simone Barry
- Precision Medicine Theme, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- Department of Thoracic Medicine, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Marc Bonten
- Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht University, the Netherlands
| | - John Campbell
- Exeter Collaboration for Academic Primary Care, University of Exeter Medical School, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Julio Croda
- Fiocruz Mato Grosso do Sul, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Campo Grande, Brazil
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
- Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, Brazil
| | - Margareth Dalcolmo
- Helio Fraga Reference Center, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation Ministry of Health, Curicica, Brazil
- Catholic University, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Andrew Davidson
- Melbourne Children's Trial Centre, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Mark W. Douglas
- Storr Liver Centre, The Westmead Institute for Medical Research, The University of Sydney, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia
- Centre for Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Sydney Infectious Diseases Institute, The University of Sydney at Westmead Hospital, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Kaya Gardiner
- Infectious Diseases Group, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Research Operations, The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Amanda Gwee
- Infectious Diseases Group, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Infectious Diseases, Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Bruno Jardim
- Institute of Clinical Research Carlos Borborema, Doctor Heitor Vieira Dourado Tropical Medicine Foundation, Manaus, Brazil
| | - Marcus V.G. Lacerda
- Institute of Clinical Research Carlos Borborema, Doctor Heitor Vieira Dourado Tropical Medicine Foundation, Manaus, Brazil
- Instituto Leônidas & Maria Deane, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation Ministry of Health, Manaus, Brazil
- University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Michaela Lucas
- Department of Immunology, Pathwest, Queen Elizabeth II Medical Centre, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia
- Department of Immunology, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia
- Department of Immunology and General Paediatrics, Perth Children's Hospital, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia
- School of Medicine, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - David J. Lynn
- Precision Medicine Theme, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute, Flinders University, Bedford Park, South Australia, Australia
| | - Laurens Manning
- School of Medicine, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
- Wesfarmers Centre for Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, Telethon Kids Institute, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Fiona Stanley Hospital, Murdoch, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Roberto D. de Oliveira
- Nursing Course, State University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Dourados, Brazil
- Graduate Program in Health Sciences, Federal University of Grande Dourados, Dourados, Brazil
| | - Kirsten P. Perrett
- Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Melbourne Children's Trial Centre, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Allergy and Immunology, Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Cristina Prat-Aymerich
- Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht University, the Netherlands
- Institut d'Investigació Germans Trias i Pujol, Departament de Genètica i Microbiologia, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red (CIBER) de Enfermedades Respiratorias, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Peter C. Richmond
- Department of Immunology and General Paediatrics, Perth Children's Hospital, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia
- School of Medicine, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
- Wesfarmers Centre for Vaccines and Infectious Diseases, Telethon Kids Institute, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Jorge L. Rocha
- Helio Fraga Reference Center, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation Ministry of Health, Curicica, Brazil
| | - Jesus Rodriguez-Baño
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Department of Medicine, Hospital Universitario Virgen Macarena, University of Seville, Biomedicines Institute of Seville-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Seville, Spain
- CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto de Salud Carloss III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Adilia Warris
- Medical Research Council Centre for Medical Mycology, University of Exeter, Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Nicholas J. Wood
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Sydney Children's Hospital Network, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia
- National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance of Vaccine Preventable Disease, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Nicole L. Messina
- Infectious Diseases Group, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Nigel Curtis
- Infectious Diseases Group, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Infectious Diseases, Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
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