Randomized Trial of BCG Vaccination at Birth to Low-Birth-Weight Children: Beneficial Nonspecific Effects in the Neonatal Period?

(See the editorial commentary by Shann, on pages 182–4.) Background. Observational studies have suggested that BCG may have nonspecific beneficial effects on survival. Low-birth-weight (LBW) children are not given BCG at birth in Guinea-Bissau; we conducted a randomized trial of BCG at birth (early BCG) vs delayed BCG. Methods. In the period 2004–2008 we recruited 2320 LBW children in Bissau. The children were visited at home at 2, 6, and 12...