Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 30, 2026

Protective Efficacy and Pulmonary Immune Response Following Subcutaneous and Intranasal BCG Administration in Mice
Published on: September 19, 2016
To BCG or not to BCG? Preventing travel-associated tuberculosis in children
Nicole Ritz1, Tom G Connell, Nigel Curtis
1Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
Abstract:
With the rise in travel to countries with a high prevalence of tuberculosis (TB), the risk of travel-associated TB is of increasing concern. However, the use of Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine for the prevention of travel-associated TB is a neglected area. We review and discuss national and international recommendations and guidelines for the prevention of travel-associated TB in children. Three children who developed travel-associated TB disease are described to illustrate that current recommendations, and in particular the use of pre-travel BCG immunisation, are inconsistent and controversial. The wide variation in recommendations reflects the paucity of data on the effectiveness of BCG immunisation and other preventive strategies in this setting. Until evidence-based guidelines can be produced, we believe that a low threshold for recommending BCG immunisation for travelling children is the safest strategy. A practical approach to deciding which children should be immunised with BCG prior to travel is presented.
Related Concept Videos
Pulmonary Tuberculosis V
Latent tuberculosis infection occurs when TB bacteria are present in a person's body, but are not causing illness or symptoms. It is not contagious, and preventive treatment is crucial to avoid the progression...
Pulmonary Tuberculosis I
Causative Organism
The primary infectious agent causing tuberculosis is Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a slow-growing, acid-fast, aerobic rod that exhibits sensitivity to heat and ultraviolet light. Instances of Mycobacterium bovis and Mycobacterium avium contributing to the development of TB infection are rare.
Mode of...
Tuberculosis
Pulmonary Tuberculosis IV
Several diagnostic approaches are used to detect TB. The conventional method is the Tuberculin Skin Test (TST), also known as the Mantoux test. However, this method has...
Smallpox
Transmission-based Precautions I: Contact, Enteric, and Droplets
Contact Precautions:
Contact precautions are the measures taken to prevent the transmission of infectious agents, especially epidemiologically important microorganisms such as MRSA or influenza, primarily transmitted through direct or indirect contact with an...

