Assessing BCG vaccination coverage and incidence of paediatric tuberculosis following two major changes in BCG vaccination policy in France

We report data on BCG vaccination coverage and paediatric tuberculosis (TB) incidence collected after the disappearance of the multipuncture device for BCG vaccination in January 2006 and the shift from universal to targeted vaccination in July 2007 in France. Vaccination coverage estimates in children for whom BCG is recommended allow assessing whether the recommendations are followed by doctors and/or accepted by the target population. In January and February 2006, BCG sales to the private sector in Île-de-France region were 74.2% and 41.3% of the ones for the same months the previous year. Total sales in 2006 amounted to 57.3% of those in 2005. Coverage decreased immediately after withdrawal of the multipuncture device, and remained generally insufficient in high risk children in the following years. However, the impact on paediatric TB incidence in 2008 seems very limited, although the duration of follow-up is still short. Training of doctors in intra-dermal vaccination and communication on the new vaccination policy should be strengthened.