Impact of the improvement of living conditions on tuberculosis mortality in Brazil: an ecological study.

Background: The risk of death due to tuberculosis (TB) in Brazil is high and strongly related to living conditions (LC). However, epidemiological studies investigating changes in LC and their impact on TB are lacking.

Objectives: To evaluate the impact of LC on TB mortality in Brazil.

Evolution of the scar and strains in newborns: A brazilian cohort.

Background: In Brazil, in 1925, the strain was introduced, and since its implementation, it has been the routine vaccine for health services. Since 2013, many countries, including Brazil, have been experiencing problems with the production of vaccines. As of January 2018, the country started to use the BCG vaccine with strain, developed by the Serum Institute India.

Previous BCG vaccination is associated with less severe clinical progression of COVID-19.

Background: BCG vaccination, originally used to prevent tuberculosis, is known to "train" the immune system to improve defence against viral respiratory infections. We investigated whether a previous BCG vaccination is associated with less severe clinical progression of COVID-19 METHODS: A case-control study comparing the proportion with a BCG vaccine scar (indicating previous vaccination) in cases and controls presenting with COVID-19 to health units in Brazil. Cases were subjects with severe COVID-19 (O2 saturation < 90%, severe respiratory effort, severe pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, sepsis, and septic shock).

Comparing cytokine production and clinical response following vaccination with BCG Moreau and BCG Russia strains in a Brazilian infant population.

Introduction: BCG is the only licensed vaccine against tuberculosis (TB) and, in Brazil, comprises part of the recommended vaccine schedule within the first month of life. Due to a local manufacturing shortage of BCG Moreau, BCG Russia was introduced in 2017 by the Brazilian Ministry of Health.

Objective: To evaluate differences in immune responses induced by BCG Moreau and BCG Russia in infants, in addition to scar formation.

The need for fast-track, high-quality and low-cost studies about the role of the BCG vaccine in the fight against COVID-19.

Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination is routine and near-universal in many low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). It has been suggested that BCG can have a protective effect on COVID-19 morbidity and mortality. This commentary discusses the limitations of the evidence around BCG and COVID-19.

Effects of social protection on tuberculosis treatment outcomes in low or middle-income and in high-burden countries: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Tuberculosis (TB) is a poverty infectious disease that affects millions of people worldwide. Evidences suggest that social protection strategies (SPS) can improve TB treatment outcomes. This study aimed to synthesize such evidences through systematic literature review and meta-analysis.