{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,27]],"date-time":"2025-10-27T20:52:10Z","timestamp":1761598330352,"version":"3.41.2"},"reference-count":29,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2021,5,3]],"date-time":"2021-05-03T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1620000000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Pharmacol."],"abstract":"<jats:p><jats:bold>Background:<\/jats:bold> Epidemiological studies show that BCG-vaccinated population seems to be more likely protected from COVID-19 infection, but WHO gave a stark warning on use of BCG vaccine without confirmed COVID-19 trials. The aim of the study is to evaluate whether TB vaccination, performed several years earlier, could confer protection against COVID-19.<\/jats:p><jats:p><jats:bold>Methods:<\/jats:bold> After the Ethical Committee authorization, professional orders were used to contact physicians with an online survey. Specialty, COVID-19 infection and previous BCG vaccination were recorded. Statistical data analysis was performed.<\/jats:p><jats:p><jats:bold>Results:<\/jats:bold> 1906 physicians answered the questionnaire, (M = 1068; F = 838; mean age 50.7\u00a0\u00b1\u00a013.3 years; range 24\u201387), more than half (1062; 55.7%) experienced BCG vaccination. Professional activity was recorded, and only 49 subjects (2.6%) of them were infected by SARS-CoV2. Among the group of infected people, asymptomatic form occurred in 12 subjects (24.5%); a pauci-symptomatic form in 24 subjects (49.0%); and a severe form (pneumonia and\/or respiratory distress) in 13 (26.5%). Considering only the clinically relevant form of COVID-19, period prevalence was 2.2% (23\/1062) in the vaccinated group and 1.7% (14\/844) in the unvaccinated group (OR: 1.31, 95% C.I.: 0.68\u20132.63, <jats:italic>p<\/jats:italic> = 0.427).<\/jats:p><jats:p><jats:bold>Conclusion:<\/jats:bold> Our experience does not confirm the possible protective role of BCG vaccination, performed years earlier, against COVID-19. Although recent epidemiological studies point out in BCG-vaccinated population a lower prevalence of SARS-CoV2 infection, in our cohort of physicians no significant difference was found in terms of prevalence of COVID-19 infection. Our data underline the necessity to follow the WHO warning about the indiscriminate use of BCG vaccine, until clear evidence of protection by BCG vaccination against COVID-19 is fully demonstrated.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3389\/fphar.2021.646570","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2021,5,3]],"date-time":"2021-05-03T05:00:40Z","timestamp":1620018040000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":5,"title":["A Survey Among Italian Physicians During COVID-19 Outbreak. 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