ArticlePloS one2020
An ecological study to evaluate the association of Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccination on cases of SARS-CoV2 infection and mortality from COVID-19.
Article in PloS one, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 16 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
16 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Effectiveness of Bacille Calmette-Guerin vaccination policies in reducing infection and mortality of COVID-19: a systematic review.Global health research and policy · 2022Pooled it
- Bacillus Calmette-Guérin Vaccination and SARS-CoV-2 Infection among Healthcare Workers: A Case-Control Study in Cape Verde.Portuguese journal of public health · 2026Article
- Non-specific protection against severe COVID-19 associated to typhoid fever and DTP vaccination.Heliyon · 2024Article
- BCG Vaccination: A potential tool against COVID-19 and COVID-19-like Black Swan incidents.International immunopharmacology · 2022Review
- The intersecting pandemics of tuberculosis and COVID-19: population-level and patient-level impact, clinical presentation, and corrective interventions.The Lancet. Respiratory medicine · 2022Review
- Tracking changes in national BCG vaccination policies and practices using the BCG World Atlas.BMJ global health · 2022Article
- Clinical impact of COVID-19 on tuberculosis.Le infezioni in medicina · 2022Review
- Effect of BCG on Respiratory Complications Caused by COVID-19: A Scoping Review.International journal of general medicine · 2022Article
- The Natural Effect of BCG Vaccination on COVID-19: The Debate Continues.Frontiers in immunology · 2022Article
- Progressive Host-Directed Strategies to Potentiate BCG Vaccination Against Tuberculosis.Frontiers in immunology · 2022Review
- Country-level factors dynamics and ABO/Rh blood groups contribution to COVID-19 mortality.Scientific reports · 2021Article
- COVID-19 and Beyond: Exploring Public Health Benefits from Non-Specific Effects of BCG Vaccination.Microorganisms · 2021Review
- COVID-19 pandemic: SARS-CoV-2 specific vaccines and challenges, protection via BCG trained immunity, and clinical trials.Expert review of vaccines · 2021Review
- Article
- COVID-19 Severity and Neonatal BCG Vaccination among Young Population in Taiwan.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2021Article
- COVID-19 risk perception among residents of seven sub-Saharan African countries: socio-demographic correlates and predicted probabilities.The Pan African medical journal · 2021Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
Abstract
As the SARS-CoV2 pandemic has progressed, there have been marked geographical differences in the pace and extent of its spread. We evaluated the association of BCG vaccination on morbidity and mortality of SARS-CoV2, adjusted for country-specific responses to the epidemic, demographics and health. SARS-CoV2 cases and deaths as reported by 31 May 2020 in the World Health Organization situation reports were used. Countries with at least 28 days following the first 100 cases, and available information on BCG were included. We used log-linear regression models to explore associations of cases and deaths with the BCG vaccination policy in each country, adjusted for population size, gross domestic product, proportion aged over 65 years, stringency level measures, testing levels, smoking proportion, and the time difference from date of reporting the 100th case to 31 May 2020. We further looked at the association that might have been found if the analyses were done at earlier time points. The study included 97 countries with 73 having a policy of current BCG vaccination, 13 having previously had BCG vaccination, and 11 having never had BCG vaccination. In a log-linear regression model there was no effect of country-level BCG status on SARS-CoV2 cases or deaths. Univariable log-linear regression models showed a trend towards a weakening of the association over time. We found no statistical evidence for an association between BCG vaccination policy and either SARS-CoV2 morbidity or mortality. We urge countries to rather consider alternative tools with evidence supporting their effectiveness for controlling SARS-CoV2 morbidity and mortality.
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.