Tuberculosis vaccines could offer certain degree of immunity to COVID-19: Study

As research around the COVID-19 vaccine continues, scientists have suggested that vaccines for Tuberculosis and Polio could offer a certain degree of immunity against the deadly infection. Researchers have found out that the vaccine for tuberculosis popularly known as BCG (Bacillus Calmette-Guerin) could amp up the body's immune system against an array of pathogens, possibly including the novel coronavirus. The insight has already kick-started trials for the BCG vaccine across the United States, Netherlands, and Australia.

Research suggests that vaccines are designed to teach the immune system to build up a wall against particular pathogens. However, the memory stays in the body for years to come and can sometimes activate other components of the immune response to fight back alternate infections including respiratory diseases, as per the researchers.

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According to the Department of Microbial Pathogenesis and Immunology at Texas A&M Health Science Center, the BCG vaccine is the only vaccine that can be given safely to the masses amid the pandemic scare. The Texas A&M Health Science Center  is currently leading a trial of the tuberculosis vaccine.

The insight regarding a TB vaccine being used to fight coronavirus came to light after a study comparing the infections and death rates of countries to coronavirus data suggested that regions, where the population was vaccinated for Tuberculosis, saw a lower death rate. 

Azra Raza, professor of medicine at Columbia University Medical Center, said that low death rates from coronavirus disease in Pakistan even amid soaring numbers could suggest something bigger since Pakistan's population is widely vaccinated with BCG. However, this research shows debatable differences. Brazil which has been one of the worst-hit countries amid the pandemic also has a population that widely uses the BCG vaccine.

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China's inactivated vaccine succeeds in animal trial

Meanwhile, China's inactivated COVID-19 vaccine has shown potent protection against the infection in animal experiments. According to international reports, the research on the vaccine 'candid77v ate BBIBP-CorV' is being conducted by the Beijing Institute of Biological Products under the China National Biotec Group, the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, along with other institutions.

According to the researchers, the vaccine induces high-levels of neutralising antibodies that provide protection against the virus in mice, rats, guinea pigs, rabbits, and non-human primates including cynomolgus monkeys and rhesus macaques.

(With agency inputs)

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