A rare case of shingles after COVID-19 vaccine: Is it a possible adverse effect? (2021). You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy. We link primary sources - including studies, scientific references, and statistics - within each article and also list them in the resources section at the bottom of our articles. Medical News Today has strict sourcing guidelines and draws only from peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. In the United States, currently available vaccines include the following: These vaccines contain harmless material from the virus that the immune system uses to help fight off infection. Some individuals may also develop health issues that continue for weeks or months.ĭue to the potential health risk of COVID-19, scientists were able to develop vaccines to help protect people against COVID-19 by providing immunity to SARS-CoV-2. People may experience a variety of symptoms of COVID-19, such as fever and coughing, that might appear 2–14 days after exposure to SARS-CoV-2. However, it may result in severe breathing problems that require hospitalization in some people. This is a type of coronavirus that may cause relatively mild symptoms that do not require specialist treatment. The term COVID-19 refers to a disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. However, unlike in people with chickenpox, the rash appears in a cluster and usually affects one side of the body. Symptoms of shingles include a burning or tingling sensation with an itchy and painful rash that resembles chickenpox. Following an unknown trigger, the virus reactivates and causes a second eruption, known as herpes zoster, or shingles. After chickenpox, the virus remains dormant in the nerve cells. Shingles is a viral infection that results from the reactivation of VZV, the same virus that causes chickenpox. If the events are related, they will only occur in individuals with dormant VZV from a previous case of chickenpox or shingles. It is also worth noting that COVID-19 vaccines do not cause shingles, and a person will not directly acquire shingles from a COVID-19 vaccine. Even if there is an association, it is a rare side effect, and the benefits of vaccination outweigh the potential risks. However, current evidence cannot attribute a definitive link between the two, and the CDC still recommends COVID-19 vaccination for all people aged 5 and older. Stressors from social restrictions, new variants, and the process of vaccination may contribute towards affecting the immune response. Other research also highlights the potential role that stress may play. While more research is necessary, these findings may indicate the requirement for further vigilance and safety monitoring, particularly for those at higher risk of shingles. While the studies cannot prove causality, they suggest that it could be a plausible but rare AEAV. This is consistent with another 2021 article that suggests that an immune reaction following vaccination may allow VZV to escape from its latent phase and cause a shingles eruption.įurthermore, a 2021 paper on older adults and a 2021 case series on people with an autoimmune condition highlight cases of shingles following COVID-19 vaccination. The researchers add that this temporary period of lymphocytopenia may be sufficient to trigger VZV reactivation and result in a shingles flare. They note that following vaccination, some people may experience lymphocytopenia or lower levels of white blood cells. While the researchers note that these cases may be a coincidence, they also highlight the potential influence of stress and the immune response to the vaccine. In both cases, the individuals previously had chickenpox, which also results from VZV, but not shingles. As such, more research is necessary.Ī 2021 article reports two cases of shingles eruptions in adults after vaccination with an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine. Still, the article states it could be an uncommon but possible event. However, a 2021 systematic review notes that there is currently no definitive link between the vaccine and shingles. Some evidence suggests that a shingles flare may be an adverse event after vaccination (AEAV). Researchers continue to monitor the safety of these vaccines and investigate any potential safety issues. While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) state that the vaccines are safe and effective, some people may experience side effects. To help prevent the transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2), health experts advise that people receive a COVID-19 vaccine as soon as possible. Share on Pinterest skaman306/Getty Images
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