Two new rare side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine have been revealed by a recent study published in the International Journal Vaccine on Friday.
Researchers working as part of the Global Vaccine Data Network identified acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, which is inflammation and swelling in the brain and spinal cord. Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis has been linked to the AstraZeneca vaccine.
As per the report of The Guardian, the study also mentioned that mRNA (Pfizer and Moderna) vaccines have rare side-effects of myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle) and pericarditis (swelling of the thin sac covering the heart). It also mentioned Guillain-Barré syndrome (where the immune system attacks the nerves) and cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (a type of blood clot in the brain) as rare side effects linked to the AstraZeneca vaccine.
The global study involving more than 99 million people from Australia, Argentina, Canada, New Zealand, Denmark, Finland, France, and Scotland confirmed how rare known vaccine complications are. Researchers are also confirming that the benefits of COVID-19 vaccines still vastly outweigh the risks.
The first new rare side effect that the study found out about is a neurological disorder called acute disseminated encephalomyelitis. It is linked to the AstraZeneca vaccine.
As per the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) is a neurological disorder characterized by brief but widespread attacks of inflammation (swelling) in the brain and spinal cord that damage myelin. ADEM symptoms include loss of vision in one or both eyes, extreme weakness, and difficulty coordinating intended (voluntary) movement. 1
The Australian study, which is published in Vaccine, found that there was an extremely small risk of ADEM of 0.78 cases per million doses and 1.82 cases per million doses for transverse myelitis.
Transverse myelitis is a neurological condition that is basically an inflammation of the spinal cord and is seen in people with autoimmune conditions. It may, at times, be a warning sign of multiple sclerosis. Common symptoms include back or neck pain, weakness or sensation changes in the arms or legs, or loss of bladder or bowel control. 2
As per this global study in Vaccine, the risk of developing transverse myelitis was 1.82 cases per million doses.
COVID vaccines played an important role in controlling the spread of the virus. However, reports of its side effects, including its impact on the heart, have been widely debated. Typical side effects of the vaccine are pain at the injection site, fever, fatigue, headache, muscle pain, chills, and diarrhea. In rare cases, inflammatory diseases of the heart post-vaccination with Pfizer or Novavax, such as myocarditis or pericarditis, have been reported earlier.
References:
https://www.ninds.nih.gov/health-information/disorders/acute-disseminated-encephalomyelitis#:~:text=Acute%20disseminated%20encephalomyelitis%20(ADEM)%20is,helps%20with%20electrical%20nerve%20signaling
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/transverse-myelitis/symptoms-causes/syc-20354726
(Input from various sources)
(Rehash/Komal Bhoi/MSM)
