Effect of BCG vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 infection

Ya-Ping Li; Jie-Wen Cai; Li-Juan Liao; Han Ding; Xun-Jie Cao; Guo-Dong Zhu; Xu-Guang Guo

doi:10.7883/yoken.JJID.2021.406

This article has now been updated. Please use the final version.

Effect of BCG vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 infection

Ya-Ping Li, Jie-Wen Cai, Li-Juan Liao, Han Ding, Xun-Jie Cao, Guo-Dong Zhu, Xu-Guang Guo

Author information

Ya-Ping Li
Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, China
Department of Clinical Medicine, The Second Clinical School of Guangzhou Medical University, China
Jie-Wen Cai
Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, China
Department of Anaesthesiology, The Second Clinical School of Guangzhou Medical University, China
Li-Juan Liao
Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, China
Department of Clinical Medicine, The First Clinical School of Guangzhou Medical University, China
Han Ding
Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, China
Department of Pediatric, The Pediatrics School of Guangzhou Medical University, China
Xun-Jie Cao
Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, China
Department of Clinical Medicine, The Third Clinical School of Guangzhou Medical University, China
Guo-Dong Zhu
Departments of Geriatrics and Oncology, Guangzhou First People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, China
Xu-Guang Guo
Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, China
Department of Clinical Medicine, The Third Clinical School of Guangzhou Medical University, China
Key Laboratory for Major Obstetric Diseases of Guangdong Province, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, China
Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, China

Keywords: BCG vaccination, SARS-CoV-2 infection, COVID-19

JOURNAL FREE ACCESS Advance online publication

Article ID: JJID.2021.406

DOI https://doi.org/10.7883/yoken.JJID.2021.406

The final version of this article is now available: Vol. 75 (2022), No. 3 pp. 302-308

Details

Abstract

Based on previous studies, we found that Bacillus Calmette–Guérin(BCG) vaccination may have a role in preventing SARS-CoV-2 infection. Thus, we conducted this meta-analysis to investigate this protective effect. We searched in Embase, PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, BioRxiv, and MedRxiv databases for studies that evaluated the relationship between BCG vaccination and SARS-CoV-2 infection or COVID-19 disease. The quality of all included studies was assessed through the Risk of Bias in Non-randomized Studies - of Interventions and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Review Manager (Version 5.3) was used for conducting all data analyses. A total of 8 studies were ultimately included in our meta-analysis. Our primary analysis found significantly lower SARS-CoV-2 infection rate in the BCG vaccination group compared to the control group, with a odds ratio (OR) of 0.61, (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.39 to 0.95, P = 0.03; I² = 31%, and P = 0.21 for heterogeneity). Our study indicated that BCG vaccination can protect against SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, there is insufficient evidence that BCG vaccination can reduce the severity of COVID-19.

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