The impact of a change in bacille Calmette-Guérin vaccine policy on tuberculosis incidence in children in Cape Town, South Africa.

Background: A decision by the South African National Department of Health to change the route of administration and strain of bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine was implemented in Cape Town, South Africa, between July and December 2000. This provided an opportunity to compare the incidence of tuberculosis and proportion with disseminated disease in children less than 2 years old before and after the changeover from percutaneous (PC) Tokyo 172 BCG to intradermal (ID) 1331 Danish BCG immunization.

Methods: Clinical records of all tuberculosis patients aged less than 2 years at diagnosis and born between January 1, 1999, and June 30, 2000 (PC cohort) and between January 1, 2001, and June 30, 2002 (ID cohort) were collected.

The utility of computed tomography for recent-onset partial seizures in childhood.

Objectives: To determine the diagnostic yield of computed tomography (CT) of the head in children presenting for the first time with partial seizures in a region with a high prevalence of tuberculosis and neurocysticercosis.

Design: Prospective cohort study.

Setting: The secondary-level ambulatory service of Red Cross Children's Hospital, Cape Town.

Neonatal mycobacterial specific cytotoxic T-lymphocyte and cytokine profiles in response to distinct BCG vaccination strategies.

This study evaluated whether different bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) strains, routes of administration, vaccination age and percutaneous tools influenced immune responses to BCG vaccination in infants. Proliferative responses, cytokine production and cell-mediated cytotoxicity obtained in post-vaccinated children were compared to baseline cord bloods and unvaccinated 10-week-old infants. BCG vaccination generally induced strong lymphoproliferative and T helper type 1 (Th1)-type cytokine responses.