BCG vaccination scars: incidence and acceptance amongst British high‐school children

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Abstract
Summary In order to determine the incidence and acceptance of BCG scars, 287 high‐school children of different ethnic origins, in a London district, were examined for their BCG scars and interviewed for self‐appraisal of their scars 6–30 months after vaccination. BCG scars developed in a high proportion of children (89·5%). There was a female predominance among the 10·5% of children who did not develop scars (girls 12·8%, boys 5·9%, P < 0·05). Hypertrophic scars (defined as the largest diameter of scar > 13·24 mm, [i.e. 2 SD above mean]) were found in 3·11% and hypopigmented scars in 67·8% of the children and both tended to occur amongst hyperpigmented races. A high proportion of children found the scars unacceptable (23·4%), mostly girls (girls 35%, boys 7·8%, P < 0·0·004) and they showed a preference for other sites including inner aspect of arm and buttock for vaccination.