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The Race for a Tuberculosis Vaccine: Who Will Cross the Finish Line First

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Anjali Pawar
The Race for a Tuberculosis Vaccine: Who Will Cross the Finish Line First

Tuberculosis (TB) is a serious infectious disease that primarily affects the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body. It is caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. TB is a major global health concern, with an estimated 10 million cases and 1.5 million deaths reported in 2020. Fortunately, there is a vaccine available for TB that has been shown to be effective in preventing the disease in some cases.


The benefits and uses of the Tuberculosis Vaccine. The TB vaccine, also known as the Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine, is a live attenuated vaccine made from a weakened strain of Mycobacterium bovis, a bacterium related to Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The BCG vaccine was first developed in the early 1900s and has been used widely around the world to prevent TB. One of the main benefits of the TB vaccine is its ability to prevent severe forms of TB in children, such as TB meningitis and miliary TB. These forms of TB can be life-threatening and are more common in children under the age of 5. The BCG vaccine has been shown to be effective in reducing the risk of these severe forms of TB by up to 80%.


Another potential use of the BCG vaccine is in the treatment of bladder cancer. In some cases, the BCG vaccine has been used to stimulate the immune system to attack cancer cells in the bladder. This treatment has been shown to be effective in reducing the risk of cancer recurrence and improving survival rates. Despite its benefits, the BCG vaccine is not without its limitations and potential risks. The vaccine can cause some side effects, such as swelling and redness at the injection site, fever, and fatigue. In rare cases, it can also cause more serious side effects, such as an allergic reaction or an infection at the injection site.


Read more @ http://sparkblog45.weebly.com/article/tuberculosis-vaccine-is-used-to-protect-people-against-tb

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