Neonatal BCG advice please

[Bearcrumble]

I live in Lewisham which offers BCG for all babies - it can be given any time in their first year. My DD is approaching 1 and I need to decide whether to give it now or pay for it later on.

I am immune - my mum was a carrier. I had the skin test at school when I was 13.

Is there a possibility I could have passed my immunity on to my DD? If so how likely? How soon could she have a skin test? My GP said they don't do them or refer for them unless we are travelling to a place with high incidence of TB. It looks like if I want to wait and test her I'll have to go private. I have an older child who I didn't give the BCG vaccine to either.

She's had all her other imms - it was just this one I was unsure about.

She will be 1 on the 5th April so due her MMR too. Would it be ok to give the BCG so close to the MMR? (There is a BCG clinic on this afternoon).

I know that the BCG isn't 100% effective and that the effect can wear off. I've also seen in New Scientist that there is now a strain of TB that is resistant to all antibiotics.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

I am normally not a great fan of the BCG, but given the prevalence of TB in your area (www.hpa.org.uk/web/HPAweb&Page&HPAwebAutoListDate/Page/1278943917075) I would do it, then leave 4 weeks to the MMR. It doesn't make sense to leave the BCG for later, since the main protective effect is for small children. You will have passed some immunity, but that is passive and will have decayed by now.

Thank you - I am back from the clinic now. It's all done and the nurse there said the same as you; to leave 4 weeks and not to have any of the next jabs in the left arm.