The Bacillus Calmette Guerin vaccine is a live attenuated vaccine that protects against which disease?

Appeared in: AIIMS Raipur NO- 2019 (shift 3rd)

Explanation

The Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine is a live attenuated vaccine specifically designed to protect against Tuberculosis (TB).
It is derived from a weakened strain of Mycobacterium bovis.
The primary goal of BCG vaccination, especially in high-prevalence countries, is to prevent severe and disseminated forms of TB in children, such as TB meningitis and miliary TB.
The vaccine is administered intradermally, and a characteristic scar at the injection site is a sign of a successful vaccination.

Option A: The BCG vaccine does not protect against Typhoid fever. Typhoid is a bacterial infection caused by Salmonella Typhi.
Option B: The BCG vaccine does not protect against Measles. Measles is a viral illness.
Option D: The BCG vaccine does not protect against Malaria. Malaria is a parasitic disease transmitted by mosquitoes.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: Knowing BCG Vaccine and Target Disease helps nurses interpret findings accurately and avoid errors in routine assessment, medication administration, and patient teaching.
In countries with a high prevalence of TB, like India, BCG vaccination at birth is a critical public health strategy to reduce childhood mortality and morbidity from severe TB.
Nurses must educate parents about the normal evolution of the BCG vaccination site (papule to ulcer to scar) to prevent anxiety and unnecessary interventions.
The presence of a BCG scar is often used as a marker for prior vaccination during health screenings.

How to Approach the Question

This is a factual recall question.
Identify the core subject: 'Bacillus Calmette Guerin (BCG) vaccine'.
Recall or deduce the primary disease this vaccine targets.
The name 'Bacillus' hints at a bacterial origin, which helps in thinking about the target disease.
Evaluate the options: Typhoid (bacterial), Measles (viral), Tuberculosis (bacterial), Malaria (parasitic).
Connect BCG directly to its well-known target, Tuberculosis, and eliminate the other options which are prevented by different vaccines or have different causative agents.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: BCG Vaccine and Target Disease
Stem keywords: Bacillus Calmette Guerin vaccine, live attenuated vaccine, protects against
Lead-in keywords: which disease
Negative lead-in flag: false

QFlAgrrddNocCVpUnMhSPv

E6 Medicine Harrison 22e Part 1 p. 1442-1444

E6 Parks TextBook of Preventive & Social Medicine part 1 — Subpart B (pp 202-403 of 604) p. 41-43

E6 Ghai Essential Pediatrics(pp 26-904 of 913) p. 192-194

Practise the full AIIMS Raipur NO- 2019 (shift 3rd)

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.