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Published on: September 19, 2016
Outcome of BCG Vaccination in ADA-SCID Patients: A 12-Patient Series
Daniele Canarutto1,2,3, Chiara Oltolini4, Federica Barzaghi2,3
1Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, Vita-Salute S. Raffaele University, 20132 Milan, Italy.
Abstract:
Vaccination with Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) can be harmful to patients with combined primary immunodeficiencies. We report the outcome of BCG vaccination in a series of twelve patients affected by adenosine deaminase deficiency (ADA-SCID). BCG vaccination resulted in a very high incidence of complications due to uncontrolled replication of the mycobacterium. All patients who developed BCG-related disease were treated successfully and remained free from recurrence of disease. We recommend the prompt initiation of enzyme replacement therapy and secondary prophylaxis to reduce the risk of BCG-related complications in ADA-SCID patients.

