24th IRISCAT seminar
"BCG vaccination to Reduce the impact of COVID-19 in healthcare workers (BRACE) Trial - roll out in Europe”
Dra. Cristina Prat Aymerich, Microbiology Service of Hospital Germans Trias
The COVID-19 pandemic is having a devastating effect in lives, health care systems and economies. In this context, an unprecedented scientific development has faced the fight against the pandemic from multilevel approaches. The previously described non specific effects of BCG (Bacillus Calmette Guérin) were explored in several clinical trials at the beginning of the pandemic as a strategy to prevent severe forms of the disease in vulnerable patients, while specific vaccines were not available. UMC Utrecht leaded one of the first trials and soon after joined the biggest trial, BRACE, leaded by Murdoch s Children Research Institute in Melbourne, that has enrolled healthcare workers in 5 countries from 3 continents. The presentation will give an overview of the roll out in Europe leaded by the UMC Utrecht in Netherlands and Spain and its current status.
Short biography,
Dr Cristina Prat is medical Microbiologist holding a position in charge of Respiratory Tract Infection and Mycobacteria Section of the Department of Clinical Microbiology at Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona. Currently on leave from the clinical position at Institut Català de la Salut, she is working as scientific coordinator in several international projects in Julius
Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, the Netherlands. Research is focused in host pathogen interaction in bacterial and viral respiratory tract infections, staphylococcal infections and tuberculosis, aiming to bridge basics and clinical research.
