Title Reactivation of BCG vaccination SCAR after influenza vaccination: a case report
Authors Stasiūnas, Augustinas ; Stasiūnienė, Jurgita ; Didžiulienė, Enrika
DOI 10.1093/omcr/omaf122
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Is Part of Oxford medical case reports.. Oxford : Oxford University Press. 2025, vol. 2025, iss. 7, p. 630-633.. eISSN 2053-8855
Keywords [eng] bacillus Calmette-Guerin vaccine ; BCG ; BCG scar reactivation ; erythema ; influenza vaccine
Abstract [eng] The Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine, a live attenuated vaccine derived from Mycobacterium bovis, is widely used for tuberculosis prevention and has been linked to various immunological responses beyond its intended purpose. A 23-years-old healthy and allergy-free man was vaccinated for the current year’s influenza on his left arm. Two days after inoculation, the patient’s BCG scar on his left arm was erythematous, while the influenza vaccination site (located 3 cm from the BCG scar) remained unchanged. A possible ipsilateral relationship between the BCG scar and the influenza vaccine site is suggested. BCG vaccination influences the increase in TNF-α and IL-6 production following influenza vaccination. In BCG-vaccinated subjects, hemagglutinin-inhibition antibody responses against the A(H1N1)pdm09 vaccine strain is markedly enhanced, with a trend toward more-rapid seroconversion. Understanding this BCG and influenza vaccines interaction is crucial for healthcare providers to differentiate between benign post-vaccination reactions and those that may require further clinical evaluation.
Published Oxford : Oxford University Press
Type Journal article
Language English
Publication date 2025
CC license CC license description