Following results were obtained the investigation to 8.562 children(almost all in the
age-group 7-13 years) who were vaccinated with Korean liquid BCG vaccine from July,
1948 to March, 1959. The vaccine routinely used in these investigations was prepared
the The National Institute of Health, Seoul, Korea
1) Pre-vaccination tuberculin positive rate after the Civil war in 195 had been rather
increasing in comparison with the rate before the war on primary school children and
average tuberculin reactors were 82.4% in1959(1949; 50.4%, 1952; 53.2%).
2) Suppurations and crusts were observed after vaccination as follows without any
other complications.
(1) The suppurations of vaccinal lesions showed (10-30% of pustle(Mean size: 2-3 ㎜
m), about 35% of abscess(Mean size: 3-7 ㎜) and about 15% of ulcer. Approximately
92% of these suppurations have been cured naturally within a month, but approximately
in 7% the condition remained for 2 months( Mean size: 6-12 ㎜).
(2) The crust formation after vaccination were about 8% and the size and depth of
crust are about 1/3 of the size appeared after small box vaccination.
(3) The scar of vaccinal lesions have remained about 5% of the children vaccinated,
and occasionally a keloid remained at the site of the vaccination.
(4) Post-vaccination tuberculin conversion rate, and the degree of positive in the
groups which have suppurations was higher than the groups which did not have any
suppurations with the ratio 99.0% : 77.3 %.
(5) 25% of post-vaccinal supuration are caused by BCG alone, and remainders were
found as mixed infection.
3) Post-vaccination tuberculin reaction were as follows.
(1) There were some differences in the percentage of the post-vaccination tuberculin
gonversion according to the age group. It was found that older age groups have higher
tuberculin conversion rate than younger groups, i.e. Nursery < Primary school <
Middle-school < College.
(2) Younger groups have lowered degree of tuberculion conversion(+, ++) and older
groups have higher degree of conversion (+++, ++++)
(3) BCG vaccinated groups show more than 90% tuberculin conversion rate at three
months after vaccination, but none vaccinated groups converted only 7.1%.
4) The dosage of BCG reflects to the conversion rate within certain limit.
5) With the constant amount of BCG vaccine, divisional vaccination method showed
higher tuberculin conversion rate than single injection method. On the other hand, the
multiple puncture method showed no great significance, but the post-vaccination
conversion rate continued longer, and the post-vaccinal suppurations occurred lesser and
crust was less frequently observed than single intradermal vaccination.
6) More than 90% of the children vaccinated showed post-vaccination and it had been
continued until about six month. Thereafter the positive among are gradually dropped to
about in twelve month.
7) The relation between post-vaccination tuberculin conversion rate and time after
vaccination showed that weeker degree of positive (+) was appeared in majority of the
cases and moderate positive(++) was appeared in smaller number of children until five
month, then the strong positive(+++) and the strongest positive (++++) degree was
appeared as time passes.
8) The post-vaccination tuberculin conversion rate among three age groups, 4-10
years, 11-14 years, and 15-16 years, showed that second group showed the highest rate
and third group were moderate And the tuberculin conversion rate at three months after
vaccination showed highest rate in all groups.
9) The majority of the vaccinated children showed week degree of tuberculin reaction
and about 2% of the children showed the strongest reaction.
10) Higher age groups showed higher tuberculin conversion rate after vaccination than
lower age groups.
11) Through the comparison between Korean and Japanese BCG vaccine following
results were observed.
(1) Post-vaccination tuberculin conversion rate Korean liquid vaccine showed higher
rate until two months after vaccination, but decreased more quickly than japanese freeze
dried vaccine.
(2) The vaccinal suppuration such as pustle, abscess, ulcer and necrosis were
produced in less instances with Korean vaccine. The suppuration with Korean vaccine
produced disappeared more quickly.
12) 0.95% of vaccinated children having tuberculosis lesions on the X ray film and
showing tuberculin negative showed no impleasant complication.
13) Among the negative reactions to 1:2000 dilution tuberculin 3.7% showed doubtful
positive and 4.5% showed definite positive with 1: 500 dilution tuberculin.
14) Post-vaccination tuberculin conversion rate of the children previously vaccinated
are 20.1% higher than none vaccinated groups.
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