Scientists at Yale University are investigating a mysterious condition linked to mRNA Covid vaccines.
Many people have reported unusual symptoms after vaccination, but identifying rare side effects has been difficult.
Now, new research suggests that some vaccinated individuals may experience a condition called "post-vaccination syndrome", writes Ziare.
This syndrome has been linked to symptoms like brain fog, dizziness, tinnitus, and trouble with physical activity.
Some patients also show biological changes, such as alterations in immune cells and lingering Covid spike proteins in their blood.
In some cases, the condition appears to reactivate the Epstein-Barr virus, which can cause swollen lymph nodes, fatigue, and neurological issues.
Yale scientists emphasize that their research is still ongoing. The full results of the study have not yet been published, and experts outside of Yale say more investigation is needed.
Dr. Akiko Iwasaki, an immunologist involved in the study, said they are working to confirm their findings.
She hopes the research will eventually lead to better ways to diagnose and treat affected individuals.
The mRNA vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer have saved millions of lives worldwide. However, some people have reported persistent health issues after vaccination.
Between December 2022 and November 2023, Yale researchers analyzed blood samples from 42 people with post-vaccination symptoms and 22 healthy vaccinated individuals.
The scientists also compared their findings to 134 people with long Covid and another 134 vaccinated individuals without health problems.
They found that both long Covid patients and those with post-vaccination syndrome showed signs of reactivated Epstein-Barr virus.
Over 90% of adults have encountered Epstein-Barr at some point. The virus can remain in the body and reactivate when the immune system is weakened.
People with post-vaccination syndrome also had elevated levels of Covid spike proteins.
Surprisingly, the levels detected were even higher than those found in long Covid patients.
Scientists suspect these lingering spike proteins could contribute to ongoing inflammation and symptoms.
Some patients had detectable spike proteins in their blood more than a year after vaccination.
Dr. Iwasaki admitted that this discovery was unexpected. However, she cautioned that not all patients with post-vaccination syndrome had spike proteins in their blood.
More research is needed to determine whether these proteins are responsible for symptoms.
Some experts are skeptical of the findings. Dr. Gregory Poland, former editor of the journal Vaccine, acknowledged that the study was small.
Still, he believes the research raises important questions.
Dr. John Wherry, an immunologist at the University of Pennsylvania, suggested that the spike proteins found in these patients could have come from undiagnosed Covid infections rather than the vaccine itself.
Data from the U.S. vaccine injury compensation program shows that about 14,000 people have filed claims for vaccine-related injuries or deaths.
This is a small fraction of the 270 million Americans who received at least one dose. Vaccine expert Dr. Paul Offit believes these numbers show that vaccines are overwhelmingly safe.
He pointed out that clinical trials and real-world data have not shown widespread severe side effects.
Yale researchers plan to continue their study. They aim to determine how common post-vaccination syndrome is and whether certain people are at higher risk.
For now, the findings remain preliminary, and experts urge caution in interpreting the results. More research is needed before drawing firm conclusions.
