Researchers report that if the US had adopted mandatory BCG vaccines against tuberculosis decades ago, we may not have reached death rates in triple digits for coronavirus. Countries that have a current policy mandating BCG vaccinations have significantly slower growth of both COVID-19 cases and deaths compared to countries with no mandates for the TB vaccination.
The Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine, commonly used to innoculate against tuberculosis and as a bladder cancer treatment, also appears to reduce the development of Alzheimer's disease.
People with slender faces are 25% more likely to be left-handed, a new study reveals.
VPM1002, a vaccine candidate based on the tuberculosis BCG vaccine, may be effective in protecting against COVID-19. Previous studies in mice have shown the BCG vaccine is effective at protecting against several respiratory viral infections. If effective against coronavirus, researchers hope the vaccine can bridge the time gap until a specific SARS-CoV-2 vaccine is available.
Studying what the LRRK2 gene does in macrophages infected with the bacterium that causes tuberculosis, researchers believe they may have identified a cause of Parkinson's disease.