Vaccination against tuberculosis (BCG)

The BCG vaccination is against tuberculosis. Formerly it was called Calmette vaccination. It is active after 6-8 weeks.

It is not necessary to repeat the vaccination.

The vaccination has a good protective effect until puberty (11-12 years).

The the duration of the effect is not known, but there are signs that it decreases after 10 years.

When your child has had the BCG vaccination, we recommend that the child is not vaccinated again with other live vaccines the next 4 weeks, e.g. MFR, di-te-ki-pol-hib and yellow fever.

The child may be vaccinated with other vaccines simultanously, but not in the same arm.

If the child is vaccinated within 3 months it should be elsewhere on the body.

When the vaccine has been injected a little fever, redness and soreness can occur around the vaccinated place as well as headache and malaise.

Minor swelling of the lymph nodes in armpit and groin may occur.

3-8 weeks after the vaccination a wound may occur at the place where the child was vaccinated. The wound may be inflamed and exuding.

The wound will dry up, so that it forms a small flat scar.

If the child is bothered by the wound a dry dressing can be applied. The wound should not be treated.

The child can play, bathe, swim, be physically active and stay in the sun even though the wound is not healed.