tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4253373642075238826.post6258440433211358999..comments2023-07-12T13:29:16.833+03:00Comments on The Globetrotter Parent: The BCG Vaccine - is it worth getting?The Globetrotter Parenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08305801540206827722noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4253373642075238826.post-25822457157328525102013-12-16T02:25:32.737+03:002013-12-16T02:25:32.737+03:00Hi there, I stumbled on this thread when doing a s...Hi there, I stumbled on this thread when doing a search for BCG.<br /><br />In the US and most of Canada we no longer give the BCG, but not because it isn't effective, but simply the matter of cost.<br /><br />TB can be tested for cheaply (About $25 for a skin test at local US clinics), and cured with simple antibiotics.<br /><br />The vaccine costs a few dollars, but the need for a gold blood test means a cost of about $75 every time you need to be tested. This means a lifetime of triple testing costs for a disease that pretty much extinct in the US (outside of immigrants and travelers).<br /><br />Healthcare workers like myself who work in Microbiology labs can have relatively high exposures and the CDC does recommend the BCG for us if wanted.<br /><br />Secondly, the BCG vaccine is the number one reason Leprosy has declined so quicikly in Africa and India as study after study have shown that it is possibly even MORE effective at preventing Leprosy as it is TB.<br /><br />TB prevention is variable by latitude, likely due to vaccine development being from European TB strains, but its effectiveness against Leprosy can be reason enough for 2nd and 3rd world countries to continue vaccinating with BCG.<br /><br />Lastly, BCG has been shown to reduce and prevent weaponized forms of TB and Leprosy, both of which historically were used in Bio-weapon research. If god forbid, there's ever attacks in unvaccinated areas, the host countries have stockpiles of BCG to distribute.<br /><br />BCG works. No vaccine is 100%. As a lab worker and world traveler I'm quite happy getting the BCG to reduce risks I may be exposed to. People who don't have my job, travel goals, or who have compromised immune systems though will find their doctors likely recommend no vaccine since they don't need it.<br /><br />It all depends who you are and what you do. :)BigDoghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16772521226602057141noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4253373642075238826.post-75257955550643523962011-11-27T09:58:03.822+03:002011-11-27T09:58:03.822+03:00Japan recommends it too. Stumbled across this page...Japan recommends it too. Stumbled across this page in researching whether or not to allow it for my child.April Mackhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12946968627887624127noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4253373642075238826.post-67416039887683038222011-07-01T16:11:49.955+03:002011-07-01T16:11:49.955+03:00Dear all,
Please help me with my research on the ...Dear all,<br /><br />Please help me with my research on the BCG vaccine by going to following link and participate in my online survey:<br /><br />https://qtrial.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_5hGOtXcGom0LZ0o <br /><br />Your participation will be of great value to my research and will be highly appreciated!!! <br /><br />It only takes a few minutes to fill in.<br /><br />Many Thanks,<br /><br />KristienKristienhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04760220191059774335noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4253373642075238826.post-24476630778391569472011-01-06T20:45:04.397+03:002011-01-06T20:45:04.397+03:00Ah, just the impetus I needed to insist on not bei...Ah, just the impetus I needed to insist on not being re-tested for TB. I love your blog. I married a Frenchman too, and THE VACCINE question comes up in a slightly heated way in our house once in awhile. It's all cultural, lol!!!<br /><br />It's gotta be hard to be married to a sort of crunchy, homebirth, homeschooling opinionated American (who is also the mother of your five children, so pretty much in charge!) I look forward to reading more.A Homeschool Storyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07601636901131690015noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4253373642075238826.post-54993119269641406892010-06-24T05:48:39.218+03:002010-06-24T05:48:39.218+03:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13493670687734065939noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4253373642075238826.post-46346237549684996002010-05-26T20:40:02.796+03:002010-05-26T20:40:02.796+03:00Nathalie,
Hep A is not standard in Europe and we d...Nathalie,<br />Hep A is not standard in Europe and we did not have our children vaccinated against it before coming to Madagascar. Hep A is a harmless disease for children so I don't see the point of the vaccine for a child under 12.The Globetrotter Parenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08305801540206827722noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4253373642075238826.post-90321982092509352352010-05-26T20:37:43.798+03:002010-05-26T20:37:43.798+03:00Thanks for letting me know!Thanks for letting me know!The Globetrotter Parenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08305801540206827722noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4253373642075238826.post-32360482615259801852010-05-19T14:27:11.930+03:002010-05-19T14:27:11.930+03:00Thought you might be interested to know that a new...Thought you might be interested to know that a new blood test is available to check for TB infection:<br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QuantiFERON<br />For people who have had the BCG vaccine, Quantiferon supposedly does not have the high false positive rate associated with the skin test.Ahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13357574288977169121noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4253373642075238826.post-54256750789659092092010-05-13T14:56:27.653+03:002010-05-13T14:56:27.653+03:00This is the most useful travel vaccination site, I...This is the most useful travel vaccination site, I've come across: <br /><br />http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/list.aspx#I<br /><br />Many of the recommend vaccines aren't just for exotic or tropical diseases. Measles is practically non-existent in Europe and North America, but not so in other countries. While I had MMR and DTP as a kid growing up in the US in the 70s, I and none of my generation who got the routine jabs, would have had Hep A and Hep B, which are now recommended if you travel to certain destinations, and what our kids get as a matter of course (actually Hep A is only standard since 2006 in the US...)Nathaliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01122474375041638360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4253373642075238826.post-70972932654177425232010-04-05T16:40:11.876+03:002010-04-05T16:40:11.876+03:00I knew I recognized those initials! Yikes, the fa...I knew I recognized those initials! Yikes, the family has found me out!The Globetrotter Parenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08305801540206827722noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4253373642075238826.post-5526463547699643032010-04-01T23:25:18.207+03:002010-04-01T23:25:18.207+03:00Hi, this is your oldest brother. Interesting read...Hi, this is your oldest brother. Interesting reading, I think I'll become a regular.<br /><br />J.JJHPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00662113943478853589noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4253373642075238826.post-17707937736475725082010-03-30T15:58:19.247+03:002010-03-30T15:58:19.247+03:00i love reading your blog! We went ahead and got o...i love reading your blog! We went ahead and got our children the BCG vaccine while in Taiwan as we thought we may move to China at some time. We did not get them vaccinated for Chickenpox while in Taiwan however because we had heard that the effectiveness of the vaccine in Taiwan had bad reviews. <br /><br />Can't wait to read more~Kristyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08499135319770749064noreply@blogger.com