Safety and Optimal Timing of BCG Vaccination in Infants Born to Mothers Receiving Anti-TNF Therapy for Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Abstract

Backgrounds and aims: We aimed to evaluate the safety of Bacille Calmette-Guérin [BCG] vaccination in infants born to mothers receiving anti-tumour necrosis factor [anti-TNF] therapy for inflammatory bowel disease.

Methods: Adverse events of BCG vaccination were evaluated in 90 infants who were last exposed to anti-TNF agents at a median of gestational week 30.

Results: After receiving BCG vaccination at a median age of 6 months [range, 0.25-11 months], three infants [3.3%] showed injection site swelling, two of whom also showed axillar lymphadenopathy. The rates of adverse events were similar between infants who were last exposed to anti-TNF agents before the third trimester [n = 35] and those who were last exposed in the third trimester [n = 55] [2.9% vs 3.6%; p = 1.00]. All adverse events were spontaneously resolved and there were no serious adverse events such as active tuberculosis infection or death.

Conclusions: BCG vaccination after 6 months of age is of low risk in infants exposed to anti-TNF agents in utero.

Keywords: BCG; Inflammatory bowel disease; anti-tumor necrosis factor; infant.