[Reducing the risk of tuberculosis in children vaccinated with BCG]

In 1973, of 1774192 children aged 18 months to 6 years, 82,2% had to be revaccinated with BCG, 10.7% presented tuberculin reactions larger than 10 mm and 7.1% were absentees. In 1974 a number of 485 children belonging to the respective age group contracted tuberculosis. Analysis of these cases showed that the risk of tuberculosis was of 10.9 per 100,000 revaccinated subjects and of 74.6 per 10,000 absentees. BCG vaccination not only lowered the risk of the disease but also reduced the risk of a severe evolution and death.