The purpose of this study is to evaluate the human clinical response to BCG challenge in historically BCG-vaccinated healthy adult volunteers. It will involve 12 participants in a controlled dose escalation. Bronchoscopies will be performed 14 days post-challenge to measure BCG recovered from bronchial samples. Blood tests will be taken to look at potential immunological markers of immunity.
Tuberculosis (TB) remains one of the deadliest infectious disease killers worldwide. Key research priorities include the development of an effective vaccine. Currently, the only licensed vaccine against TB is the BCG (Bacille Calmette-Guérin). This works well against TB in childhood but is often ineffective in adults. Developing a new TB vaccine is difficult, as it is hard to determine which will be effective. In other diseases, e.g. influenza or malaria, it is possible to experimentally-infect volunteers with the disease to see if the proposed vaccine is effective. This is called a "controlled human challenge or infection model" and is possible in easily treatable or self-limiting diseases. This is not possible with TB, where treatments may be harmful and complex. Using a related but less infectious bacterium is a feasible alternative. The BCG is a live attenuated (weakened) strain of the bacteria that causes TB in cattle. The BCG bacteria do not cause disease in healthy individuals. As the BCG and TB bacteria are similar, a challenge model using the BCG as an infectious agent to mimic TB infection is being developed. Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacterium that causes TB, infects people by inhalation into the lungs. Therefore, inhaled BCG more closely imitates TB infection than an injection. A previous (TB041) and current study (TB043) in this group use aerosol inhaled BCG in volunteers who have not received the standard BCG vaccination before. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the human clinical response to BCG challenge in historically BCG-vaccinated healthy adult volunteers. It will involve 12 participants in a controlled dose escalation. Bronchoscopies will be performed 14 days post-challenge to measure BCG recovered from bronchial samples. Blood tests will be taken to look at potential immunological markers of immunity.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Purpose
OTHER
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
12
BCG Danish 1331 is on the WHO list of pre-qualified vaccines and has a well-defined side effect profile. BCG is licensed for delivery via the intradermal route. It is not licensed for delivery via the aerosol route.
Centre for Clinical Vaccinology and Tropical Medicine
Oxford, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
To Quantify BCG Recoverable From Bronchial Sample
Quantification of BCG culture by mycobacterial growth indicator tube (PCR quantification and DNA strip assay speciation as required)
Time frame: Day 14
Adverse Events
Evaluation of the human clinical response to BCG challenge via collection of data on adverse events at each visit, via diary cards and lung function test results.
Time frame: Up to day 168
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