BCG SCAR

FACTORS AFFECTING ITS FORMATION IN INFANTS ATTENDING IMMUNIZATION CENTRE AT A DISTRICT HOSPITAL

Abstract

BCG vaccination may cause scar formation but it does not occur in 100% children.
Objectives: To know the frequency of BCG scar in the infants 9-11months of age and its relation
with sex, gestational age, weight at birth, the timing of vaccination and the pattern of feeding in
the first month of life. Setting: Immunization Center of Department of Pediatrics, Civil Hospital
Bahawalpur. Period: 1st June 2015 to 15th August 2015. Subjects and Material: The infants 9 to
11 months of age coming for measles vaccination and having record of BCG immunization by
the single vaccinator done at the same centre were included for the study. The scar on the right
arm was observed at the time of measles vaccination. Result: There were 500 infants included
in the study. The BCG scar was absent in 55 cases giving absent scar rate of 11%. There was no
statistically significant difference among different sexes, birth weights, gestational ages, timings
of BCG vaccination and patterns of feeding in the first month of life. Conclusion: Absent BCG
scar is not an uncommon feature and is independent of sexe, birth weight, gestational age, and
timing of BCG vaccination and pattern of feeding in the first month of life.