Bacillus Calmette-Guérin

The Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) is a vaccine primarily used to prevent tuberculosis (TB), a serious lung infection. It contains a weakened form of a bacteria related to the one that causes TB, which helps the immune system recognize and fight the disease if exposed later. While highly effective in children, especially for preventing severe TB forms like meningitis, its effectiveness in adults varies. Besides TB prevention, BCG is also used in some cancer treatments, such as bladder cancer, to stimulate the body's immune response against cancer cells.