Herpes labialis or “cold sore” recurrences in the orofacial region affect the quality of life. Researchers investigated the impact of the Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine on reducing herpes labialis recurrences, as compared to a placebo, in a randomized controlled trial. The study found that the BCG group's average first cold-sore recurrence was delayed by 1.55 months (53%) than the control group's (p = 0.02).
Over a year, more people in the BCG group reported a reduction in cold sore recurrence in terms of the: Frequency (55% vs 21%) Duration (61% vs 21%) Severity (74% vs 21%) Impact on quality of life (42% vs 15%) The vaccine was found more beneficial in males who had more frequent recurrences in the past year. While no significant adverse events were reported, the people who had never had a cold sore had a higher likelihood of experiencing a first episode post-vaccination. The…
