Bacillus Calmette-Guérin vaccine, antimalarial, age and gender relation to COVID-19 spread and mortality

Vaccine. 2020 Jul 31;38(35):5564-5568. doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2020.06.083. Epub 2020 Jul 3.

Abstract

COVID-19 is affecting different countries all over the world with great variation in infection rate and death ratio. Some reports suggested a relation between the Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine and the malaria treatment to the prevention of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Some reports related infant's lower susceptibility to the COVID-19. Some other reports a higher risk in males compared to females in such COVID-19 pandemic. Also, some other reports claimed the possible use of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine as prophylactic in such a pandemic. The present commentary is to discuss the possible relation between those factors and SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Keywords: Age; Antimalarial; BCG; COVID 19; Gender.

MeSH terms

  • Aging*
  • Antiviral Agents / pharmacology
  • Antiviral Agents / therapeutic use
  • BCG Vaccine / immunology*
  • COVID-19
  • Chemoprevention*
  • Chloroquine / pharmacology*
  • Chloroquine / therapeutic use
  • Coronavirus Infections / immunology
  • Coronavirus Infections / mortality*
  • Coronavirus Infections / prevention & control*
  • Coronavirus Infections / transmission
  • Disease Susceptibility / immunology
  • Female
  • Geographic Mapping
  • Humans
  • Hydroxychloroquine / pharmacology*
  • Hydroxychloroquine / therapeutic use
  • Infant
  • Internationality
  • Male
  • Pandemics / prevention & control*
  • Pneumonia, Viral / immunology
  • Pneumonia, Viral / mortality*
  • Pneumonia, Viral / prevention & control*
  • Pneumonia, Viral / transmission
  • Sex Characteristics*

Substances

  • Antiviral Agents
  • BCG Vaccine
  • Hydroxychloroquine
  • Chloroquine