The double-sided effects of Mycobacterium Bovis bacillus Calmette–Guérin vaccine

Abstract

Abstract Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG), the only vaccine proven to be effective against tuberculosis (TB), is the most commonly used vaccine globally. In addition to its effects on mycobacterial diseases, an increasing amount of epidemiological and experimental evidence accumulated since its introduction in 1921 has shown that BCG also exerts non-specific effects against a number of diseases, such as non-mycobacterial infections, allergies and certain malignancies. Recent Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak has put BCG, a classic vaccine with significant non-specific protection, into the spotlight again. This literature review briefly covers the diverse facets of BCG vaccine, providing new perspectives in terms of specific and non-specific protection mechanisms of this old, multifaceted, and controversial vaccine.