WHO: TB vaccine could kill babies with HIV

updated 12:59 p.m. ET July 1, 2009

GENEVA - The World Health Organization says a study has shown that babies with HIV could die if given a standard tuberculosis vaccine.

WHO says a three-year study in South Africa found babies born with HIV had a higher risk of contracting a deadly form of TB if given the widely used BCG vaccine.

The study recommends not vaccinating babies with HIV and delaying vaccination for those babies whose HIV status is unknown.

The study was published Wednesday in the journal Bulletin of the World Health Organization.

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