Tuberculosis Vaccination

Vaccine

The vaccine contains pathogens of cattle that has been infected with tuberculosis; living but weakened. The additional agents usually include aluminiumhydroxid,-phosphate or other compounds.

Immunity

Tuberculosis vaccinations only generates very low levels of immunity. A large trial conducted by the WHO (World Health Organization) showed that people who were vaccinated contract TB much more frequently than those who have not been vaccinated.

This is why the vaccine is no longer recommended officially.

Until 1998 there was an active human vaccination with an attenuated mycobacterial vaccination stem (BCG) against tuberculosis. It was in 1930 when the vaccine was in introduced that the Lübeck accident happened. The BCG-culture, which had been obtained in Paris, had not been processed correctly; 208 children were infected with virulent tuberculosis bacteria. 77 of them died as a result. This vaccination accident made it possible to observe the children who survived and thus to learn a lot about the course of the disease. As a result the introduction of vaccinations in Germany was delayed to after the Second World War BCG-vaccinations are no longer recommended by the Staendige Impf Kommission [Constant Vaccination Commission], as the limited efficacy cannot make up for the complications arising from the vaccinations. Moreover, even after decades the tuberculin test can be slightly to moderately positive in people who have been vaccinated, so that the cut-off (if, for example, there has been contact with someone who contracted open TBC) is only used when there is a stronger reaction (generally 15 mm and more). Worldwide the BCG-vaccination was also not able to stop TB from spreading, even though it is one of the most wide-spread vaccinations.

Side effects, vaccine complications and vaccine damages after tuberculosis vaccinations

Among others: abscesses around the spot where the person was vaccinated (2-4%), swelling of the lymph nodes (up to 24%) and suppurations (0.1-4.3%). Side effects also include inflammation of the bone and bone marrow (according to the strain 0.1-30:100 000 vaccinations). There have also been reports of meningitis and the eyes being affected. (Impfreaktionen, Quast, Thilo, Fescharek, HippokratesVerlag 1993,)

It can also result in a weakening of the immune system which the WHO trial (described above) clearly shows.

In a more recent trial with animals it was determined that repeated vaccinations with BCG can lead to an early death of the laboratory animals as a result of multi-organ breakdown (Basaraba RJ, Izzo AA, Brandt L, Orme IM.Decreased survival of guinea pigs infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis after multiple BCG vaccinations.Vaccine. 2005 Sep 6)