BCG vaccines studied with quantitative analysis

The only inoculation for tuberculosis (TB), Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) has been studied by scientists.

Published in BMC Microbiology, the paper looks at sub-strains of the vaccine in order to gain a better understanding of it.

Looking at it on both a proteomic and genomic level, the team of nine scientists note that this analysis could also help uncover alternative preventative treatments for TB.

The Brazilian strain M. bovis BCG Moreau was compared to BCG Pasteur and proteins identified using mass spectrometry and electrophoresis.

Quantitative analysis was used to look at the strains in greater detail, from which "a higher expression of immunogenic proteins" was found in BCG Moreau, while the reverse was shown to be true for heat shock proteins.

Noting that the research gave the scientists insight into the Brazilian strain of the vaccine, they add that this "may lead to a better understanding of the factors leading to BCG's variable protective efficacy against TB".

An open-access publication, BMC Microbiology releases peer-reviewed research covering all aspects of the discipline.