Abstract:
Objectives
This study was designed to measure serum ADA levels 6+/-1 week after BCG
vaccination and to clinically compare them with matched controls to evaluate if this test
can be used to measure cell mediated immunity evoked by BCG vaccination and to
clinically compare tuberculin reactivity after BCG vaccination with ADA levels.
Methods This study is carried out in the Department of Pediatrics, BLDEA’S Shri. B. M.
Patil Medical College, Bijapur from November 1 2007 to July 2009. 30 Term healthy
neonates were taken up from post natal wards of the hospital (study group), 30 Infants of
6 to 8 weeks of age who were not vaccinated earlier were taken as matched controls
(control group). Serum ADA (Adenosine deaminase) estimation was done in the study
group with in 24 hours of birth and 6 weeks after BCG vaccination and TST(Tuberculin
skin test) was done clinically to compare tuberculin reactivity and ADA levels. Serum
ADA levels were estimated in control group to compare them with the study group at 6
weeks.
CONCLUSION The present study concludes that the rise in ADA levels 6 weeks after BCG
vaccination is statistically significant; concluding cell mediated immunity is provided
BCG vaccination. Also the ADA levels of the study group at 6 weeks compared to
matched controls who were not vaccinated earlier is significant. Tuberculin skin test is
the most common measure performed to evaluate the efficacy of BCG vaccination. The
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present study showed a conversion rate of 96.67% and a positive correlation with the
ADA levels. The present study is the first of its kind to measure CMI after BCG
vaccination in the form of increased ADA activity and to compare the same with
TST
