INVESTIGATING THE ROLE OF INNATE IMMUNITY IN MEDIATING THE NON-SPECIFIC EFFECTS OF BACILLE CALMETTE-GUÉRIN VACCINE

Abstract

Background: Epidemiological evidence suggests that Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine exerts non-specific (heterologous) effects in infants; decreasing neonatal mortality in high-mortality settings and preventing allergy and morbidity from infection in developed countries. New tuberculosis (TB) vaccines could potentially lack these beneficial effects. Immune mechanisms underlying the non-specific effects of BCG vaccine have been linked to ‘trained immunity’ or innate immune memory. Aims: Part 1: To investigate whether neonatal BCG vaccination alters the immune response to heterologous pathogens and Toll-like receptor (TLR) ligands in (i) the neonatal period and (ii) infancy. Part 2: To ..