L. Kroger et al., OSTEITIS CAUSED BY BACILLE CALMETTE-GUERIN VACCINATION - A RETROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS OF 222 CASES, The Journal of infectious diseases, 172(2), 1995, pp. 574-576
To evaluate the frequency, clinical features, and prognosis of patient
s with osteitis caused by bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccination, m
edical records from Finnish children based on nationwide registration
from 1960 to 1988 were retrospectively analyzed. During the study peri
od, three different BCG vaccine preparations were used. In 222 childre
n, diagnostic criteria of BCG osteitis were fulfilled. The age at onse
t of BCG osteitis varied from 0.25 to 5.7 years. The most common sites
of osteitis were metaphyses of the long bones. The lower extremity (5
8%) was affected more often than the upper (14%). Osteitis was situate
d in the sternum in 36 patients (15%) and in the ribs in 27 (11%). The
frequency of BCG osteitis, but not the clinical parameters, was close
ly associated with the vaccine preparation used. Only 6 children were
left with some sequelae. With adequate treatment, the prognosis for ch
ildren vaccinated with BCG is good.