Tuberculosis vaccines (Bacillus Calmette-Guérin, BCG) were introduced 100 years ago and are still recommended by the World Health Organization to prevent the disease. Studies have shown that BCG vaccination can stimulate non-specific immune responses and reduce the incidence of certain diseases. At the beginning of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, it was hypothesised that the incidence of COVID-19 was lower in countries with BCG prevention. In an attempt to verify this thesis, we conducted a multicenter, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study on a group of 695 health care workers aged 25 years and over in Poland. All participants in the study had a tuberculin test, after which those who were negative were randomised (1:1) and received either the BCG- or placebo vaccine. From then on, these people were subjected to three months of observation for the occurrence of COVID-19 symptoms. The statistical analysis did not reveal any significant correlation between the frequency of incidents suspected of COVID-19 and BCG-10 vaccination, the result of the tuberculin test and the number of scars. The only statistically significant feature was the type of medical profession—nurses became infected more often than doctors or other medical workers (p = 0.02). The results differ from similar trials in other countries. Perhaps this is due to the lack of an unvaccinated control group. The impact of BCG vaccination on the course of COVID-19 requires further research.

Background/Aims: The etiopathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is multifactorial and not well explained. Environmental, genetic, and dietary factors play an important role. The aim of the study was the evaluation of lactase, saccharase, and maltase activity in patients with IBD. Materials and Methods: The study comprised 65 children, aged 3-18 years. During a routine endoscopy, we took biopsies from the descending part of the duodenum. In these biopsies, we determined disaccharidase activity using Dahlquist’s method. Results: Decreased lactase activity in the biopsies taken from the small intestine mucosa was most frequently observed in patients with Crohn’s disease (5/15-33%) and least frequently seen in children with lymphocytic colitis (in 1/10-10%). The lowest mean values of lactase activity were found in the children with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis (1.7-2.5 U/1 g). Decreased saccharase activity in the biopsies obtained from the small intestine mucosa was most frequently observed in patients with lymphocytic colitis (in 5/10-50%) and ulcerative colitis (9/20-45%) and least frequently seen in children with non-specific undetermined colitis (in 7/20-35%). Decreased maltase activity in the small bowel mucosa was the most frequently observed in patients with Crohn’s disease (in 5/15-33%) and least frequently seen in children with ulcerative colitis (in 3/20-15%). The lowest mean values of maltase activity were found in the children with Crohn’s disease (5.4 U/1 g). Conclusion: Therefore, it seems reasonable to perform diagnostic examinations aimed at lactose, saccharose, and maltose intolerance and to initiate a dietary regimen in children with IBD.

Background: Perimenstrual asthma (PMA) is a commonly observed, usually difficult-to-treat asthma phenotype. The mechanisms underlying this phenomenon remain unexplained. The aim of the study was to assess the degree of airway hyperresponsiveness and its relationship to proinflammatory cytokines concentration in lower airways of PMA compared to non-PMA patients. Methods: Premenopausal women with regular menstrual cycles diagnosed as: PMA (n=12), non-PMA asthmatics (n=9), and healthy controls (n=10) were prospectively followed for 10 weeks over two consecutive menstrual cycles. The bronchial responsiveness (BR) test to methacholine was performed in each subject prior to the study. The serum for total immunoglobulin E (IgE) concentrations was taken and sputum was induced in the 26th day of each of the two cycles. Sputum concentration of eotaxin, IL-4 and IL-10 were measured by ELISA. Results: Levels of BR to metacholine as well, as total blood IgE concentrations in PMA subjects were significantly higher than in non-PMA asthmatics and healthy controls (P=0.001, P=0.022 respectively) and correlated with each other (P=0.030; r =−0.65). Sputum eotaxin and IL-4 concentrations in luteal phase were increased in PMA patients when compared with non-PMA asthmatics (P=0.016; P=0.041, respectively) and healthy subjects (P<0.001 both cytokines). No differences for the sputum levels of IL-10 among studied groups were seen. Conclusions: BR level in perimenstrual asthma is higher than in non-PMA asthmatics and correlates with increased total IgE serum concentration. The increased level of BR in PMA patients is associated with a shift in the type-1/type-2 cytokine balance toward a type-2 response.