Prevalence of BCG Scar Formation Among BCGVaccinated Apparently Healthy U-5 Children and its Correlation with Mantoux Skin Test Induration in Maiduguri, Nigeria

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is still a major public health problem world-wide. BCG scar is often used as an indicator of previous vaccination in clinical settings as well as in Immunization Surveys, although not allBCG-vaccinated children formscar.Objective: This study was under-taken to determine the BCG scar rate formation among BCG-vaccinated children and the pattern of Mantoux test reactions among the children with and without BCG-scar inMaiduguri, Nigeria.Methods: The study was descriptive and cross-sectional, conducted in Maiduguri, Nigeria, among 296 BCG-vaccinated apparently healthy 3-59 months old children who attended the child welfare clinics of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital and two Primary Health Care centres from May to August 2008. Children who fulfilled the inclusion criteria wereexamined for BCG-scar andMantoux tested.Results: Out of 296 BCG-vaccinated children studied, 165 (55.7%) had BCGscar, while the remaining 131 (44.3%) had no scar. No significant statistical difference in relation to age at vaccination and BCGscar formationwas noted, (p =0.376). The mean Mantoux reactions between those vaccinated in the neonatal and post-neonatal period, (p =0.258), was also not statistically significant. The vaccinated children with scar had asignificant negative Mantoux test correlation with age; (r = - 0.39, p < 0.000), compared to a non significant negativeMantoux correlation among the vaccinated children without scar; (r = - 0.193, p= 0.027).Conclusion: BCG scar formation among vaccinated children in Maiduguri is low. In spite of the difference inMantoux readings between the childrenwith and withoutBCG-scar,we recommend continued immunization with BCG at birth of all children in Maiduguri, as recommended by the Nigerian, National Programme on Immunization.Niger Med J. Vol. 49, No.4, Oct – Dec, 2008: 84 – 87.Keywords:BCG,Mantouxtest,Correlation,Apparentlyhealthy,U-5