Vaccine Side Effects Research Articles

Cardiovascular Side Effects of COVID‑19 Vaccination

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on global health, with vaccination playing a crucial role in mitigating the spread of the virus and reducing the severity of illness. However, the potential cardiovascular side effects associated with COVID-19 vaccination have raised concerns. Myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle, is one of the most widely reported side effects, particularly among male adolescents and young adults, following the second dose of mRNA vaccines. The incidence of myocarditis post-vaccination ranges from 150 to 4,000 cases per 100,000 individuals, higher than the pre-pandemic estimate of 1-10 cases per 100,000. Other cardiovascular complications such as pericarditis and stroke have also been reported in a small subset of vaccine recipients. Although these side effects are often acute and transient, they can be severe and even fatal in some cases. Understanding the incidence, clinical presentation, and long-term outcomes of these cardiovascular side effects is crucial for informing healthcare professionals and the public about the potential risks and benefits of the COVID-19 vaccination. Ongoing research and surveillance are essential to better understand the underlying mechanisms, identify risk factors, and develop strategies for preventing and managing adverse events, while maintaining public trust in the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines.Search Methods: This review was conducted by searching the WHO database and other relevant medical literature for studies published from 2000 to 2024 that reported on cardiovascular side effects of COVID-19 vaccination. Conclusion: Several studies have investigated the incidence of myocarditis, pericarditis, and stroke in individuals who received the COVID‑19 vaccines. Although the overall risk appears relatively low, cardiovascular complications have been reported in a small subset of vaccine recipients, particularly among younger individuals. These effects are often acute and transient but can be severe and even fatal in a few cases. Herein, we have provided a comprehensive review of documents reporting cardiovascular side effects of COVID-19 vaccines in international databases from 2000 to 2024 and discussed the possible causes of these disorders.

IMPACT OF COVID VACCINATION IN INDIA: A STUDY OF MEERUT DISTRICT

Early in December 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic broke out in Wuhan, China, and quickly spread throughout the world, devastating human health. To combat the COVID-19 pandemic, quick work was needed to develop and test vaccines for safety and efficacy due to the public health emergency. COVID-19 vaccines were approved for emergency use before the conclusion of traditional clinical trial phases, but there isn't a thorough analysis of the safety information provided by the vaccination trials. There is no data on vaccination effects on the Indian population that are gender-specific. This study aims to evaluate the adverse effects of different vaccines for COVID-19, particularly in young adults based on health issues they encountered, and to determine the factors linked to experiencing adverse events after vaccination, also focusing on gender-specific side effects of vaccine (if there are any). Furthermore, there was a noticeable increase in the number of individuals reporting mental illness. Therefore, this study also attempts to understand the impact of the COVID-19 vaccination on the mental health of people in India with a particular focus on the Meerut district. A structured Google questionnaire will be utilized to collect the required data for the study through a random sampling technique from 200 young adults in the Meerut district who have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Descriptive statistics were used to examine the frequency and length of systemic and generalized symptoms. KEYWORDS: Covid-19, Health issues, vaccination,

Examining the association of vaccine-related mindsets and post-vaccination antibody response, side effects, and affective outcomes

BackgroundAlthough vaccines are largely effective and safe, there is variability in post-vaccination experience regarding antibody response, side effects, and affective outcomes. Vaccine mindsets, specific beliefs about the vaccine, may be associated with post-vaccination experience. This is important since mindsets are malleable and may help decrease vaccine hesitancy and improve post-vaccination experience. MethodsIn a prospective study, we measured overall positive vaccine mindset and specific mindsets regarding efficacy, body response, and side effects. We tested whether vaccine mindsets before vaccination predicted neutralizing antibody response, side effects, vaccine-related stress, and affective outcomes (general stress, sadness, and happiness). Antibody response was assessed one month and six months after participants completed a SARS-CoV-2 vaccination series. Side effect experience and affective reactions were assessed daily on the vaccination day and the subsequent five days. ResultsThere was no significant association between the aggregate vaccine mindset score and neutralizing antibody response; however, people with a more positive vaccine mindset reported fewer side effects, less same-day vaccine-related anxiety, and improved affective outcomes after vaccination. In secondary analyses, when specific mindsets were explored, the mindset that vaccine side effects are a sign of treatment efficacy predicted higher antibodies, but not side effects experience and vaccine-related anxiety. Vaccine efficacy and body-response mindsets predicted fewer side effects, vaccine-related anxiety, and improved affective outcomes after vaccination. ConclusionThese findings underscore the potential of vaccine mindsets in enhancing the overall post-vaccination experience and, in some cases, increasing antibody response.

Neki čimbenici utjecaja na nedovoljno prijavljivanje sumnji na nuspojave cjepiva

Neki čimbenici utjecaja na nedovoljno prijavljivanje sumnji na nuspojave cjepiva

Review of the Knowledge, Barriers, and Facilitators of HPV Vaccination among Latino Migrant and Seasonal Farmworkers in the United States.

One subgroup of Latinos whose healthcare needs must be more thoroughly addressed is the roughly three million farmworkers pursuing seasonal agricultural work within the United States (U.S.). Latino migrant and seasonal farmworkers (MSFW) face compounded political, social, and personal contexts that complicate healthcare access. Although the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine prevents HPV infections and cancers, uptake among Hispanic adolescents remains suboptimal. Therefore, it is important to understand Latino MSFW's HPV knowledge, as well as barriers to and facilitators of vaccination so culturally appropriate measures can bolster vaccination. An integrative review was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science using key search terms. Results were evaluated for compatibility with inclusion/exclusion criteria, and selected articles were coded and evaluated via thematic analysis. Six studies of various designs were ultimately included in the review. While some Latino MSFW have baseline knowledge about HPV and the vaccine, knowledge gaps remain. Participants expressed curiosity about how the vaccine works, contents, side effects, dosing, recommended age, and information about prevented diseases. Although additional education and MSFW's receptiveness to provider's recommendations were cited as major facilitators, many barriers also need addressed. Providers must leverage MSFW's existing knowledge, provide education, and facilitate vaccination to protect farmworker families from HPV and related cancers. It must become standard practice for providers to recommend the HPV vaccine to MSFW, who are receptive to this conversation. Increasing vaccination can decrease the disproportionate burden of HPV-related cancers on patients and facilitate access to healthcare services.

A Dialogue about Vaccine Side Effects: Understanding Difficult Pandemic Experiences.

This paper investigates the relationship between the experiences of mass vaccinations against two pandemic viruses: the swine flu in 2009-2010 and COVID-19 in the early 2020s. We show how distressing memories from the swine flu vaccination, which led to the rare but severe adverse effect of narcolepsy in approximately 500 children in Sweden, were triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic. The narcolepsy illness story has rarely been told in academic contexts; therefore, we will provide space for this story. It is presented through a dialogue with the aim of shedding light on the interrelationship between pandemics-and between mass vaccinations-to investigate what could be termed cultural wounds that influence societies because they are characterized by the difficulty of talking about them. The paper explores the multiple shocks of illness in life and what can be learned from them by sharing them.

Evaluating the Side Effects of COVID-19 Vaccines Available in Al-Diwaniyah Province

Abstract Background: Vaccines are critical to reducing the viral attack by permitting the body to generate a safe immune response that defends it by preventing or limiting infection. Objectives: The study aimed to detect the side effects that caused by immunization with Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines. Materials and Methods: 286 samples were collected from individuals immunized with Corona vaccines (Pfizer, Sinopharm, and AstraZeneca) of different ages, whether they were previously infected with COVID-19 or not. The side effects and pathological complications of immunization have been clinically determined by specialized doctors. Results: Pfizer vaccine was the most used vaccine, yet its typical side effects of first dose include mild fever (28%) and injection site pain (20%). The second dose side effects of Pfizer vaccine were high fever in 200/246 people (81%). Moreover, 7% of the cases did not experience side effects after both doses. The first dose of Sinopharm vaccine side effects were pain in the area of the injection (30%) and mild fever (19%), and 8% of cases suffered from fever and pain in the head and joints, whereas high fever was one of the most prominent signs when taking the second dose by (51%) whereas 27% of them did not show any side effects when taking the two doses. Only three individuals were immunized with AstraZeneca vaccine and suffered from fever, headache, and joint pain after taking the first dose, whereas two of them were suffering from high temperature, and one was suffering from fatigue and joint pain after taking the second dose. Conclusion: The symptoms of COVID-19 vaccines are as the same as other vaccines, but still needs more studies analyzing their side effects to ensure their safety for immunization.

Expectations Versus Fantasies and Vaccine Hesitancy: How Suffering From COVID-19 Versus Suffering From Vaccines Interact.

Previous research on COVID-19 vaccination highlights future thoughts associated with possible Coronavirus infection and vaccine side effects as key predictors of vaccine hesitancy. Yet, research has focused on independent contributions of such future thoughts, neglecting their interactive aspects. We examined whether thoughts about two possible COVID-related futures (suffering from COVID-19 and vaccine side effects) interactively predict vaccine hesitancy and vaccination behavior among unvaccinated and vaccinated people. Importantly, we compared two forms of future thinking: beliefs or expectations (likelihood judgments) versus fantasies (free thoughts and images describing future events). In Study 1, we conducted a longitudinal study with an unvaccinated group (N = 210). We assessed expectations versus fantasies about the two COVID-related futures as predictors. As outcome variables, we measured vaccine hesitancy, and 9 weeks later we assessed information seeking and vaccine uptake. Study 2 was a cross-sectional study comparing vaccine hesitancy of an unvaccinated group (N = 307) to that of a vaccinated group (N = 311). Study 1 found that more negative fantasies about COVID-19 impact and less negative fantasies about vaccine side effects interactively predicted lower vaccine hesitancy and more vaccine-related behaviors among unvaccinated people; no such interaction was observed between respective expectations. Study 2 replicated these results of Study 1. Additionally, for vaccinated people, low expectations of negative COVID-19 impact and high expectations of negative vaccine impact interactively predicted higher vaccine hesitancy, whereas no such interaction was observed for respective fantasies. Research on vaccine hesitancy should explore interactions between future thinking about disease and about vaccine side effects. Importantly, there is much to be gained by distinguishing expectations versus fantasies: vaccination interventions aiming to boost vaccine uptake among unvaccinated people should tap into their negative future fantasies regarding both disease and vaccine side effects.

Efficacy of an inactivated EHDV-8 vaccine in preventing viraemia and clinical signs in experimentally infected cattle

Epizootic haemorrhagic disease (EHD), caused by the EHD virus (EHDV), is a vector-borne viral disease transmitted through Culicoides biting midges. EHDV comprises seven serotypes (1, 2, and 4–8), with EHDV-8 having recently emerged and spread in Europe over the last two years. Such event has raised concerns about the significant threat posed by EHDV-8 to livestock industry. In this study, an inactivated vaccine against EHDV-8 (vEHDV8-IZSAM) was developed. Safety and efficacy of the vaccine were evaluated in calves through clinical, serological, and virological monitoring following experimental challenge.The vaccine was proven safe, with only transient fever and localized reactions observed in a few animals, consistent with adjuvanted vaccine side effects. vEHDV8-IZSAM elicited a robust humoral response, as evidenced by the presence of neutralizing antibodies. After challenge with a virulent isolate, viraemia and clinical signs were evidenced in control animals but in none of the vaccinated animals.This study highlights the potential of vEHDV8-IZSAM as a safe and highly effective vaccine against EHDV-8 in cattle. It offers protection from clinical disease and effectively prevents viraemia. With the recent spread of EHDV-8 in European livestock, the use of an inactivated vaccine could be key in protecting animals from clinical disease and thus to mitigate the economic impact of the disease. Further investigations are warranted to assess the duration of the induced immunity and the applicability of this vaccine in real-world settings. Accordingly, joint efforts between public veterinary institutions and pharmaceutical companies are recommended to scale up vaccine production.

Fear of the COVID-19 vaccine in a public healthcare system and university setting.

Despite the known benefits, some individuals remain apprehensive about receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, which hampers vaccination efforts and the achievement of herd immunity. Therefore, this cross-sectional study aimed to assess vaccination rates and identify factors influencing fear of the COVID-19 vaccine among individuals served by the public healthcare system (Family Health Strategy - FHS) and in a university community in Minas Gerais, Brazil. Surveys were conducted face-to-face with FHS participants and online with university members, employing a free sharing approach on social media. A total of 1896 and 312 responses were collected, respectively. The survey covered sociodemographic information, COVID-19 fear levels, and vaccination status for both individuals and their children Vaccination coverage was 83% among FHS participants and 99.1% in the university setting. Female respondents in both groups exhibited higher levels of COVID-19 fear (p<0.05), with FHS-assisted women reporting greater apprehension towards vaccination (p<0.05). Educated parents demonstrated better understanding of the importance of child vaccination, while younger parents expressed heightened concerns about vaccine side effects. Among FHS participants, women exhibited a 1.6 times higher fear of vaccination compared to men. Additionally, fear of vaccination increased by 1.10 times for each additional point on the COVID-19 Fear Scale (physiological domain). Effective communication strategies and dispelling misconceptions surrounding immunization could alleviate fear and promote vaccination acceptance.

Fish Welfare – A Case Study: Reviling for the first-time side effects of vaccination in European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) and barramundi (Lates calcarifer) in the Israeli fish farming

Vaccination is an effective way to control many infectious diseases in fish. Israeli fish farming has successfully used two vaccines over the last 30 years and has no problem with the side effects of vaccination. However, after introducing new species, a new problem emerged: these fish, after vaccination, demonstrated peritoneal lesions such as granulomas. At the same time, the fish did not show retarded growth or suffering during the fattening period. This study was conducted to establish the connection between vaccination and the appearance of granulomas. Evidence drawn from this research work and comparing vaccinated and non-vaccinated fish confirms that intraperitoneal granulomas do not impact the growth, performance, or fish fillet quality at harvest.

Watchful, skeptics, and system distrusters: Characteristics associated with different types of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among U.S. working-age adults

COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy is complex, with adults identifying various reasons for not getting vaccinated. Using data from the 2022 National Wellbeing Survey on 7612 U.S. adults aged 18–64, we identified how age, race/ethnicity, sex, marital status, education, income, employment status, partisanship, and metropolitan status are associated with COVID-19 vaccination status and three non-mutually exclusive types of vaccine hesitancy: 1) watchful, concerned about vaccine side effects and efficacy; 2) skeptics, distrust the vaccine, and 3) system distrusters, distrust government. A third of respondents overall (N = 2643) had not received at least one dose at the time of the survey. Among respondents who were not vaccinated, 67 % are classified as watchful, 53 % are skeptics, and 32 % are system distrusters. Results from logistic regression show that concerns about side effects and safety (watchfulness) appear to be major drivers for not getting vaccinated among females and among non-Hispanic Black and unmarried adults, whereas skepticism and distrust appear to be more important barriers among ages 25–44. All three types of hesitancy appear to be important contributors to lower vaccination uptake among low-income, low-education, and unemployed adults, and among individuals who voted for Donald Trump in the 2020 election (with skepticism and distrust being most endorsed by this group). Findings suggest that universal messaging and intervention strategies are unlikely to be effective in reducing vaccine hesitancy. Different messages, messengers, and tactics must be used with different groups.

Knowledge Level and Beliefs of Mothers of Children Under 5 Years of Age About Childhood Vaccinations

Vaccination prevents infectious diseases and mother’s consent is key to increasing childhood vaccination rates. The aim of this study was to assess mothers' knowledge, and beliefs about childhood vaccinations, as well as the impact of these factors on their vaccination behaviors. A descriptive cross-sectional study of 320 mothers was conducted. The data were collected using a questionnaire form. Most of mothers (98.4%) have their children fully vaccinated through the Extended Immunization Program (EIP), 96.6% of cases support vaccines necessity. Vaccine hesitancy was 7.8%, vaccine refusal was 1.6%. The majority of mothers believe that the most common side effects of vaccines are fever (53.4%). Mothers were not adequately informed about EIP were 42.2%, and 57.5% of them had not received non-EIP vaccines, and 33.1% cited lack of knowledge as the reason. The majority of cases (73.7%) received information about EIP from a doctor. Parents' educational status, higher family income, and having more than three children significantly increased non-EIP vaccination rates but had no significant effect on EIP vaccination (p&lt;0.05). Mothers still support EIP, but vaccine hesitancy is growing due to a lack of information. It is critical to assess mothers' knowledge and beliefs about vaccination, and social awareness is also required.

COVID-19 Vaccine Side Effects and Long-Term Neutralizing Antibody Response : A Prospective Cohort Study.

Concern about side effects is a common reason for SARS-CoV-2 vaccine hesitancy. To determine whether short-term side effects of SARS-CoV-2 messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccination are associated with subsequent neutralizing antibody (nAB) response. Prospective cohort study. San Francisco Bay Area. Adults who had not been vaccinated against or exposed to SARS-CoV-2, who then received 2 doses of either BNT162b2 or mRNA-1273. Serum nAB titer at 1 month and 6 months after the second vaccine dose. Daily symptom surveys and objective biometric measurements at each dose. 363 participants were included in symptom-related analyses (65.6% female; mean age, 52.4 years [SD, 11.9]), and 147 were included in biometric-related analyses (66.0% female; mean age, 58.8 years [SD, 5.3]). Chills, tiredness, feeling unwell, and headache after the second dose were each associated with 1.4 to 1.6 fold higher nAB at 1 and 6 months after vaccination. Symptom count and vaccination-induced change in skin temperature and heart rate were all positively associated with nAB across both follow-up time points. Each 1 °C increase in skin temperature after dose 2 was associated with 1.8 fold higher nAB 1 month later and 3.1 fold higher nAB 6 months later. The study was conducted in 2021 in people receiving the primary vaccine series, making generalizability to people with prior SARS-CoV-2 vaccination or exposure unclear. Whether the observed associations would also apply for neutralizing activity against non-ancestral SARS-CoV-2 strains is also unknown. Convergent self-report and objective biometric findings indicate that short-term systemic side effects of SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccination are associated with greater long-lasting nAB responses. This may be relevant in addressing negative attitudes toward vaccine side effects, which are a barrier to vaccine uptake. National Institute on Aging.

The Motivation for COVID-19 Vaccination and Preventive Behavior.

COVID-19, a viral infection that emerged in late 2019, induces a severe acute respiratory syndrome marked by significant clinical symptoms, and the potential for progressive respiratory failure and death. People facing the threat of COVID-19 not only feared being infected, but were also worried about the side-effects of vaccination. This conflict affected their epidemic prevention behavior. To understand this issue, the present study explored whether infection anxiety affected the psychological avoidance or approach to getting vaccinated and the intention to take epidemic prevention measures. The study implemented a cross-sectional, web-based survey. We created questionnaires using Surveycake, an online e-form questionnaire platform. We used the snowball sampling method via a social media app to recruit participants. If individuals were willing to participate in the research, we emailed the e-form questionnaire link to them to collect data. After questionnaire collection, 288 questionnaires were returned, and 277 valid questionnaires were obtained for structural equation modeling analysis. According to the statistical results, it was found that infection anxiety was positively related to avoidance-avoidance conflict, and the power of infection anxiety on avoidance conflict was 23.0%. Infection anxiety was negatively related to approach-approach conflict regarding vaccination, and the power of infection anxiety on approach-approach conflict was 22.0%. Approach-approach conflict regarding vaccination was negatively related to prevention behavior, while avoidance-avoidance conflict regarding vaccination was positively related to prevention behavior. The two conflicts explained 12.5% of the total variance in prevention behavior. The study results highlight the long-term importance of achieving vaccine goals in order to prepare for future health emergencies similar to the recent COVID-19 pandemic.

Assessing the Vaccination Status and Barriers to Influenza, Pneumococcal, and COVID-19 Vaccination Among Moroccan Patients With Chronic Inflammatory Rheumatic Disease.

To evaluate the vaccination coverage of patients with chronic inflammatory rheumatic disease (CIRD) against influenza, pneumococcus, and COVID-19 and to determine, per the patients' point of view, the possible factors related to vaccination hesitation and/or refusal. A cross-sectional study carried out by the vaccination working group of the Moroccan Society of Rheumatology, including patients with CIRD in Morocco. Information about vaccination coverage and reasons for non-vaccination against influenza, pneumococcal infection, and COVID-19 was collected. This survey included 230 patients (mean age of 46.9 +/-13.89 years; 68.7% females) affected by CIRD (rheumatoid arthritis 53%, spondyloarthritis 39.6%, psoriatic arthritis 7%). The study shows a significant lack of influenza and pneumococcal vaccination in CIRD patients, with vaccination coverage against influenza, pneumococcal infection, and COVID-19 at 2.2%, 0.4%, and 80.9%, respectively. The main reason for non-vaccination against influenza and pneumococcus was related to the absence of recommendations by their doctors (77%, 87%, p = 0.04). Additionally, the primary reason for non-vaccination against COVID-19 was the fear of the vaccine's side effects (51%, p = 0.0001), mainly a flare-up of CIRD (44%, p = 0.001). This survey shows a lack of influenza, pneumococcal, and COVID-19 vaccination in CIRD patients. The principal actions to improve vaccination should aim to educate patients and encourage rheumatologists to vaccinate their patients.

Childhood vaccination hesitancy in Saudi Arabia: are we still facing a problem? A narrative review.

Vaccination is a crucial public health intervention for infection prevention. Yet, vaccine hesitation has emerged as a pressing public health concern. The objective of this review is to identify the widespread and causes of vaccine hesitancy prevalance among parents of children in Saudi Arabia. A narrative review, surveying several databases, including PubMed, PubMed Central, Scopus, Google Scholar, and relevant regional journals. We selected studies related to vaccine hesitancy prevalence and causes after removing duplicates and screening for relevance and access to full text. A total of 18 articles met the final selection criteria.The prevalence of parental vaccination reluctance in Saudi Arabia shown significant variability; ranging from 3.1-72.2%. Concerns regarding vaccine side effects appeared as the foremost reason for vaccine hesitancy. The review concluded that numerous Saudi Arabian parents still hesitate to vaccinate their children. They believe the potential adverse effects of vaccination outweigh the protective benefits against diseases.

Acceptance and Hesitancy Towards Covid-19 Vaccination Among Dialysis Patients in a Dialysis Center in Khartoum in 2022.

COVID-19, a highly infectious virus, poses significant risks, particularly for immuno-compromised individuals. Vaccination remains a key preventive measure, yet acceptance rates vary among populations globally. This study aims to assess COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and hesitancy among dialysis patients atDr. Salma Center for Dialysis in 2022, highlighting the primary reasons for hesitancy within this vulnerable group. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at Dr. Salma Center in Khartoum, Sudan, in 2022. A systematic random sampling method was employed to select participants, who were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Of a sample of 137 patients, 125 completed the questionnaire with 91.2% response rate. Approximately half of the respondents reported vaccine hesitancy 50%, with 77% acknowledging the severity of COVID-19 but only 53% advised vaccination among their peers. Primary concerns included vaccine side effects 24.8% and mistrust of production companies 10.4%. No significant associations were found between vaccine hesitancy and demographic factors. The study reveals a notable prevalence of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among dialysis patients at Dr. Salma Center in Khartoum, 2022. Addressing this hesitancy requires concerted efforts to bridge the trust gap between patients and healthcare systems, coupled with targeted awareness campaigns to correct misinformation and reinforce confidence in vaccines.

A potential association between COVID-19 vaccination and development of alzheimer's disease.

The challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic extend to concerns about vaccine side effects, particularly potential links to neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). This study investigates the association between COVID-19 vaccination and the onset of AD and its prodromal state, mild cognitive impairment (MCI). A nationwide, retrospective cohort study leveraging data from the Korean National Health Insurance Service was conducted. The study, conducted in Seoul, South Korea, analyzed data from a random 50% sample of city residents aged 65 and above, totaling 558,017 individuals. Participants were divided into vaccinated and unvaccinated groups, with vaccinations including mRNA and cDNA vaccines. The study focused on AD and MCI incidences post-vaccination, identified via ICD-10 codes, using multivariable logistic and Cox regression analyses. Patients with vascular dementia or Parkinson's disease served as controls. Findings showed an increased incidence of MCI and AD in vaccinated individuals, particularly those receiving mRNA vaccines, within three months post-vaccination. The mRNA vaccine group exhibited a significantly higher incidence of AD (Odds Ratio [OR]: 1.225; 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 1.025-1.464; p = 0.026) and MCI (OR: 2.377; CI: 1.845-3.064; p < 0.001) compared to the unvaccinated group. No significant relationship was found with vascular dementia or Parkinson's disease. Preliminary evidence suggests a potential link between COVID-19 vaccination, particularly mRNA vaccines, and increased incidences of AD and MCI. This underscores the need for further research to elucidate the relationship between vaccine-induced immune responses and neurodegenerative processes, advocating for continuous monitoring and investigation into the vaccines' long-term neurological impacts.

Vaccination status and self-reported side effects after SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in relation to psychological and clinical variables in patients with multiple sclerosis

The recent SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and the vaccination campaign posed a challenge to patients with autoimmune disease, such as multiple sclerosis (MS). We aimed for investigating whether psychological/sociodemographic/clinical characteristics of MS patients are associated with SARS-CoV-2 vaccination status and self-reported vaccination side effects (SEs). We have asked patients with MS about their willingness to receive recommended standard vaccinations pre-pandemically since June 2019. Between 10/2021 and 01/2022, we surveyed 193 of these MS patients about their current SARS-CoV-2 vaccination status, their perception of vaccination-related SEs, and reasons for and against SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. 75.6% of the patients declared their willingness to receive standard vaccinations before the pandemic. 84.5%, 78.2%, and 13.0% of the patients had received the first, second, and third SARS-CoV-2 vaccination, respectively, until the follow-up survey. The most common reason for not getting vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2 was concern about possible side effects (82.1%), followed by the belief that the vaccines had not been adequately tested (64.3%). Vaccination-related SEs were reported by 52.8% of the patients. Younger age, higher education, lower degree of disability, relapsing disease course, shorter disease duration, not receiving a disease-modifying therapy and higher anxiety and depression levels were associated with the occurrence of certain vaccination-related SEs. Concerns about novel vaccines are widespread among MS patients and necessitate targeted education of the patients, especially to those with more severe psychopathological symptoms (anxiety or depression) and those who are generally skeptical of vaccination.