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BCG Vaccine-Induced Trained Immunity and COVID-19: Protective or Bystander?

Authors :
Koneru, Gopala
Batiha, Gaber El-Saber
Algammal, Abdelazeem M
Mabrok, Mahmoud
Magdy, Sara
Sayed, Shrouk
AbuElmagd, Mai E
Elnemr, Reham
Saad, Mahmoud M
Ellah, Noura H Abd
Hosni, Amal
Muhammad, Khalid
Hetta, Helal F
Source :
Infection & Drug Resistance; Mar2021, Vol. 14, p1169-1184, 16p
Publication Year :
2021

Abstract

In late 2019, a new virulent coronavirus (CoV) emerged in Wuhan, China and was named as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). This virus spread rapidly, causing the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) is a live attenuated tuberculosis (TB) vaccine, associated with induction of non-specific cross-protection against unrelated infections. This protection is a memory-like response in innate immune cells (trained immunity), which is caused by epigenetic reprogramming via histone modification in the regulatory elements of specific genes in monocytes. COVID-19 related epidemiological studies showed an inverse relationship between national BCG vaccination policies and COVID-19 incidence and death, suggesting that BCG may induce trained immunity that could confer some protection against SARS-CoV-2. As this pandemic has put most of Earth's population under quarantine, repurposing of the old, well-characterized BCG may ensure some protection against COVID-19. This review focuses on BCG-related cross-protection and acquisition of trained immunity, as well as the correlation between BCG vaccination and COVID-19 incidence and mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
11786973
Volume :
14
Database :
Complementary Index
Journal :
Infection & Drug Resistance
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
150586124
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.2147/IDR.S300162