Because TB is not common in Australia, the BCG vaccine is not part of the routine vaccination schedule. However, the vaccine is recommended in some circumstances, such as travel to certain countries. For more information on TB, see our fact sheet Tuberculosis (TB).
The BCG vaccine was part of the Australian vaccination schedule until 1985 and was given to young adolescents through school-based programs.
TB Vaccine (BCG)
This vaccine is not widely used in the United States. However, it is often given to infants and small children in other countries where TB is common. BCG does not always protect people from getting TB.
Most Australian children do not require BCG vaccination as the rates of TB in Australia are very low. In Queensland, BCG vaccination is recommended for the following groups: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander newborn babies.
It was replaced in 2005 with a targeted programme for babies, children and young adults at higher risk of TB. This is because TB rates in this country are very low in the general population. TB is difficult to catch because this requires close contact with an infected person (for example, living together).
However, BCG is not generally recommended for use in the United States because of the low risk of infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the variable effectiveness of the vaccine against adult pulmonary TB, and the vaccine's potential interference with tuberculin skin test reactivity.
TB is an infectious disease caused by bacteria that affects the lungs, and sometimes other parts of the body. Because TB is not common in Australia, the BCG vaccine is not part of the routine vaccination schedule. However, the vaccine is recommended in some circumstances, such as travel to certain countries.
The BCG vaccine should ideally be given 3 months before travel to a country where TB is common. A tuberculin skin test (Mantoux test or TST) is needed prior to BCG vaccination if the person to be vaccinated: was born in a country where TB is common.
Australia has one of the lowest rates of tuberculosis (TB) in the world with an annual incidence of 5·2–7·0 per 100,000 population since the 1980s and with 86–89% of TB notifications being in people born overseas.
The 6-in-1 vaccine is sometimes referred to as DTaP/Hib/HepB/IPV, which stands for 'Diphtheria, Tetanus, acellular Pertussis, Hib, Hepatitis B and Inactivated Polio Vaccine'.
BCG vaccination scar
It's important to leave the area uncovered as the air will help it to heal. It's normal for it to leave a small scar. Occasionally, there may be a more severe skin reaction, but this should heal within several weeks.
What is a BCG Scar Check Service? Our BCG Scar Check Service involves a nurse taking a vaccination history and physically checking the arm for a scar to see whether that person has received the BCG vaccination. This service is suitable for all patients over 18+ years of age.
Australia reports approximately 1300 cases of TB per year and has a TB case notification rate of 5.5 cases per 100,000 population.
Tuberculosis death rate (per 100,000 people) in Australia was reported at 0.18 % in 2021, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources.
Although it is spread in a similar way to a cold or the flu, TB is not as contagious. You would usually have to spend prolonged periods in close contact with an infected person to catch the infection yourself. For example, TB infections usually spread between family members who live in the same house.
The Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination is given to new born babies at risk of getting tuberculosis (TB). TB is a very serious infectious disease that can cause TB meningitis in babies.
Prevention, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment
The vaccine for tuberculosis is called the Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) vaccine. It is not part of the childhood immunisation program, as TB rates in Australia are very low.
The introduction of antibiotics such as streptomycin and isoniazid in 1945 and 1952 respectively had a significant impact on the reduction of TB rates. These were provided free of charge by the ATC to all diagnosed cases. The ATC was ceased in 1976 following marked decreases in the prevalence of TB.
The BCG vaccine is not very good at protecting adults against TB. You can still get TB infection or TB disease even if you were vaccinated with BCG. You will need a TB test to see if you have latent TB infection or TB disease.
The BCG vaccine (which stands for Bacillus Calmette-Guérin vaccine) is not given as part of the routine NHS vaccination schedule. It's given on the NHS only when a child or adult is thought to have an increased risk of coming into contact with TB. The BCG vaccine should only be given once in a lifetime.
Many foreign-born persons have received the bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine for TB disease. This vaccine is administered at birth in many countries outside of the U.S. to prevent childhood tuberculous meningitis and miliary disease. BCG leaves a scar like the smallpox vaccine.
The infected person's immune system walls off the TB organisms. And the TB stays inactive throughout life in most people who are infected. This person would have a positive skin or blood test for TB but a normal chest X-ray or one that only shows past scarring from the disease.