Introduction: There are few studies investigating the association between BCG vaccination and atopy or asthma in adults.Objective: We investigated the association between BCG scar and the occurrence of atopy and asthma in Korean adults.Methods: We carried out a retrospective study of Korean adults who underwent skin prick testing, and, in some cases, spirometry and bronchial provocation tests in a secondary care hospital from April 2010 to February 2011. Atopy status was classified according to allergen/histamine (A/H) ratio of wheal (A/H ratio ≥ 1, atopy; 0 < A/H ratio < 1, intermediate; A/H ratio = 0, non-atopy). A patient with asthma was defined as one who has symptoms compatible with asthma and showed either a positive provocation testing or bronchodilator reversibility.Results: Among 200 participants, neither the presence (intermediate vs. non-atopy: adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 0.83; 95% CI 0.26, 2.60; p = 0.75, atopy vs. non-atopy: aOR 0.89; 95% CI 0.33, 2.37; p = 0.81, respectively). nor the size of BCG scar was significantly associated with atopy status. However, among those patients who underwent either bronchodilator response testing or bronchial provocation testing, the presence of BCG scar (aOR 0.33; CI 0.14, 0.77; p = 0.01) and the size of BCG scar were inversely associated with asthma. (p = 0.01)Conclusions: We found a significant association between BCG scar and asthmatic status in Korean adults, although there was no significant association between either the presence or size of BCG scar and atopy.

Vaccines against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) have played a crucial role in mitigating the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. However, few studies have addressed the optimal booster vaccine type in recipients of the primary series of BBIBP-CorV (an inactivated virus vaccine developed by Sinopharm). This study aimed to estimate the association between the heterologous or homologous COVID-19 vaccination and SARS-CoV-2 infection. The study enrolled healthcare personnel (HCP) who had completed two doses of BBIBP-CorV between November 2020 and September 2021. The associations between SARS-CoV-2 infection and boosters were measured using multivariable logistic regression, comparing the odds of a positive COVID-19 test result between the no booster group and booster groups (BNT162b2 {Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine} group and BBIBP-CorV group, respectively). A total of 495 HCP comprising 326 (65.9%) in the BNT162b2 group, 121 (24.4%) in the no booster group, and 48 (9.7%) in the BBIBP-CorV group enrolled. One hundred thirty-six cases (27.5%) tested positive for COVID-19. The odds ratios for testing positive after booster dose were 0.401 (95% CI: 0.187-0.860, p = 0.019) and 0.446 (95% CI: 0.170-1.167, p = 0.100) for BNT162b2 and BBIBP-CorV group, respectively. The BNT162b2 booster in HCP after a second dose of BBIBP-CorV, relative to no booster, and the BBIBP-CorV booster, was associated with protection against laboratory-confirmed COVID-19.

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