BCGitis with or without caseation following BCG vaccination is known as a rare complication but it is relatively common disease entity encountered in our country. We reviewed and analysed 107 cases of BCGitis in infants diagnosed and treated in
the
Taegu Fatima Hospital from March 1983 to February 1993.
The results of analysis suggest that occurrence of BCGitis was slosely related to the potency of the vaccine, the dose of vaccine employed, and the technicue of administration. Other possible factors concerned to occurrence of BCGitis included
age
of
the child, immunological state and nutritional state. However, we thought that its morbidity may be very low when injecting normal doses of qualified vaccine strictly by the intradermal route. Although histopathological examination or culture for
mycobacteria is necessary for definitive diagnosis, clinical diagnosis can be made relatively easy in infants with history of recent BCG vaccination and palpable regional lymph node(s) in the vicinity of the vaccination.
BCGitis including some of cold abscess can be treated safely with a complete surgical excision. Nonoperative antituberculous chemotherapy seems to be ineffective measure for the most of BCGitis. In case of cold abscess, simple drainage may be a
modality
of treatment but it calls for a prolonged duration of therapy and leave a cosmetically unpleasant scar compared with early excision. We prescribed INH for 3 months postoperatively to every patients for the purposes of treatment of possible
remaining
disease and prevention of recurrence, while its necessity or efficacy is uncertain.
Postoperative complication was trivial, and there was no postoperative death or recurrence requiring reoperation.
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