Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40610004›Full record

ArticleHuman vaccines & immunotherapeutics2025

Unleashing the power of the BCG vaccine in modulating viral immunity through heterologous protection: A scoping review.

Thales A Campelo, Natália S Oliveira, Pedro F N Souza, Denis F G de-Oliveira, Cristiane C Frota, Paulo R Z Antas

Abstract readScoping Review
In one paragraph

Article in Human vaccines & immunotherapeutics, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

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.

2 · The registry

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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Thales A CampeloPrograma de Pós-graduação em Patologia, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil.
Natália S OliveiraPrograma de Pós-graduação em Patologia, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil.
Pedro F N SouzaLaboratory of Pharmacogenetics, Center for Drug Research and Development (NPDM), Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil.
Denis F G de-OliveiraPrograma de Pós-graduação em Patologia, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil.
Cristiane C FrotaPrograma de Pós-graduação em Patologia, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil.
Paulo R Z AntasPrograma de Pós-graduação em Patologia, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil.ORCID 0000-0002-6168-9185

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine, used against tuberculosis for a century, shows promise in protecting against viral infections through trained/innate immunity. This review maps clinical and preclinical studies on both parental (WT) and recombinant BCG (rBCG) against 17 common viruses. From 68 studies, BCG strains were found to enhance innate immune responses by reprogramming myeloid cells, leading to stronger responses to related infections. Sixteen rBCG candidates expressed viral antigens, activating CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, and stimulating antibody production specific to the viral antigens. However, challenges like genetic stability and varied efficacy among BCG strains remain. The review highlights the potential of BCG, especially rBCG, as a multivalent vaccine platform for immunization campaigns, with significant public health implications. More translational studies and clinical trials are needed to confirm these findings.

Indexed as

BCG VaccineImmunity, HeterologousVirus DiseasesAnimalsAntigens, ViralCD8-Positive T-LymphocytesHumansImmunity, InnateVaccines, SyntheticAntigens, ViralBCG VaccineVaccines, Syntheticimmunityinnate immune responseRecombinant BCGtrained immunityviral diseases

Identifiers

PMID40610004
PMCPMC12233832

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.