Tuberculin Conversion Following BCG Vaccination in Preterm Infants

Tuberculin conversion following BCG vaccination was evaluated in 3 groups of infants. Group I consisted of 12 preterm appropriate-for-gestational-age (AGA) infants given BCG vaccination at birth; Group II was made up of 15 term AGA infants similarly immunized while 8 preterm AGA infants (Group III) received BCG about the time estimated to be their normal birth-date. The tuberculin conversion rates of 83%, 93% and 88% in groups I, II and III respectively were not significantly different (p greater than 0.5). The results suggest that the preterm AGA infants born at 32-36 weeks of gestation can be effectively immunized with BCG at birth.