A comparative study of different techniques of giving BCG vaccination to newborn infants in Hong Kong

Abstract

Following administration of BCG vaccine to newborns by trained inoculators using a simple triangular needle (20 insertions) technique the mean tuberculin reaction was 13·5 mm. at 3 months using 100 TU of PPD tuberculin (Weybridge). When this technique of BCG administration was used by relatively unskilled vaccinators in private maternity homes a mean of 12·2 mm. was recorded. With 5 TU the figures were 6·7 mm. and 6·3 mm. respectively. When the BCG had been administered by the intradermal, percutaneous Heaf multiple puncture and simple triangular needle (40 insertions) techniques there was no significant difference in the mean tuberculin readings (using 100 TU PPD Weybridge), these being 14·7, 14·9 and 14·6 mm. induration respectively. A jet injector (‘Panjet’) gave a significantly lower mean reading of 14·1 mm. With 5 TU the comparative figures were 7·1, 7·4 and 7·2 mm. with 6·8 mm. for the ‘Panjet’. The mean number of effective punctures detected at the vaccination site were 27·0 for the Heaf apparatus, 10·9 for the triangular needle (20 insertions), 18·3 for the triangular needle (40 insertions) and 6·6 (20 insertions — unskilled). For the intradermal with syringe and ‘Panjet’ techniques the mean sizes of vaccination lesion were 4·2 mm. and 3·6 mm. respectively. In circumstances in which the use of the intradermal method seems unjustified, the simple triangular needle technique can give acceptably good results.