BCG immunotherapy: be cautious of granulomas. Disseminated BCG infection and mycotic aneurysm as late complications of intravesical BCG instillations

Neth J Med. 2001 Feb;58(2):71-5. doi: 10.1016/s0300-2977(00)00098-x.

Abstract

We describe a 65-year-old man with a granulomatous hepatitis and a progressive mycotic aneurysm of the abdominal aorta. One year before he received intravesical bacillus Calmette--Guérin (BCG) for carcinoma of the bladder without any complaints. Only post-mortem investigations could confirm that he suffered from a systemic BCG infection. Literature is reviewed for this rare complication.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / microbiology*
  • Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / surgery
  • BCG Vaccine / administration & dosage
  • BCG Vaccine / adverse effects*
  • DNA, Bacterial
  • Fatal Outcome
  • Granuloma, Giant Cell / microbiology*
  • Hepatitis / microbiology*
  • Humans
  • Immunotherapy, Active / adverse effects
  • Instillation, Drug
  • Male
  • Mycobacterium bovis / isolation & purification
  • Mycobacterium bovis / pathogenicity*
  • Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length
  • Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / therapy

Substances

  • BCG Vaccine
  • DNA, Bacterial