BCG VACCINE

BCG Vaccine Information

This common vaccine is known to contain a weakened (live) form of Mycobacterium bovis, which is the bacterial pathogen that is responsible for the development of tuberculosis (a widely spread medical condition abbreviated as TB). The vaccine is called the BCG Vaccine as it contains Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (a strain of the bacterium that causes TB). The administration of this product is effective in the prevention of tuberculosis as is stimulates the organism’s immune system, leading to the developing of a response to the pathogen without causing the disorder. After the administration of the BCG Vaccine the patient’s immune system starts to produce antibodies against the pathogens that trigger the disease. With the help of the antibodies, the patient’s immune system is able to recognize and the effectively kill the foreign, harmful organisms. In this way, the antibodies stay in the patient’s organism, protecting him or her against the development of future infectious conditions with the same pathogen.

BCG Vaccine Indications

This clinical remedy is mainly employed in the prevention of tuberculosis. If you are interested in this product, you should contact your main health care provider and ask him or her for further details about BCG Vaccine. Together with your personal physician you will determine if the use of this medication would be beneficial in your case.

BCG Vaccine Warnings

Patients who are suffering from eczema should employ extra caution before/when/after being administered their dose of the BCG Vaccine. It is very important not to inject this product in a site that is affected by eczema or any other similar skin disorder. Further warnings have been associated with the use of this medical vaccine. For example, patients who are suffering from pyrexia (also known as fever) or from generalized infected skin medical conditions must not be allowed to be administered a dose of the BCG Vaccine. The same advice is valid in the case of patients who have already suffered from tuberculosis, for patients who have been diagnosed with the presence of HIV, lymphoma, leukemia, and any other malignant medical disorder. Furthermore, patients who have recently undergone an immuno-suppressant therapeutic routine (like chemotherapy, oral corticosteroids, radiotherapy, drugs that are employed in the prevention of transplant rejection, and so on), individuals who are following a therapy course with anti-tuberculous medical products should not be allowed to receive a dose of the BCG Vaccine.

As with most other clinical remedies, the use of this product is not recommended in the case of individuals who present an allergy to one or more of its main components. It is very important to alert your personal pharmacist at once if you have previously experienced allergic reactions to any known substances. Together with your prescriber you will determine if you are allergic to the BCG Vaccine or not. If you suspect that you have developed an allergy to the BCG Vaccine, inform your PD as soon as possible. You may have to report to the nearest medical center. The use of this product is generally unsuitable for pregnant mothers or for nursing females.

BCG Vaccine Intake Guidelines

This medical vaccine must be administered by a well trained health care provider, in an adequately-equipped medical center. If you have any questions concerning the administration of the BCG Vaccine you must refer to your PD, to a nurse or to a pharmacist.

BCG Vaccine Dosage

The adequate dosage of the BCG Vaccine that you will be administered by your main medical prescriber varies from one patient to another and will be determined by your PD. In this way you can be sure that the dosage that you will be prescribed is indeed the one that you need.

BCG Vaccine Overdose

As this product is generally administered by a well trained medical professional, cases of over-dosage are extremely rare and unlikely to occur. This is one of the reasons for which we do not posses sufficient information concerning the symptoms that may affect a patient who develops BCG Vaccine Overdose.

BCG Vaccine Missed Dose

In case you have missed a scheduled appointment with your PD in which you were supposed to be administered the BCG Vaccine you should contact your doctor and establish a new appointment as soon as possible.

BCG Vaccine Side Effects

The administration of the BCG Vaccine is known to lead to the presence of a hardened lesion; this lesion can discharge or ulcerate. The healing process can last for several months and it generally leaves a flat, small scar. In order to enhance the effectiveness of the healing process one ought to maintain the affected area dry at all times; however, protecting it from water is not imperative during bathing or washing. It is very important to avoid covering the lesion that is due to the administration of the BCG Vaccine with airtight (waterproof) materials or with extremely tight clothing, unless this is necessary in order to enable the patient to perform certain activities (like swimming, for example) – however, one should not keep such a dressing applied for a prolonged period of time in order to avoid further delaying the healing process.

In case the ulcer (the lesion due to the administration of the BCG Vaccine) begins to ooze, one should cover it with a dry material until the forming of a scab. In case you experience a more severe symptom after the administration of your tuberculosis vaccine you should immediately alert your prescriber. Other side effects of the BCG Vaccine include: headaches, fever, swelling, etc.

BCG Vaccine Drug Reactions

While certain vaccines can be employed at the same time with the BCG Vaccine, others should be avoided by patients who have been vaccinated against tuberculosis. Your PD can give your further medical facts concerning this matter.