Post-vaccination CNS demyelinating syndromes have been reported with a variety of vaccines including the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccines. We report a case of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease (MOGAD) probably associated with the mRNA-1273 (by Moderna) SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine, and a case of acute transverse myelitis (ATM) probably associated with the BNT162b2 (by Pfizer-BioNTech) SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine. A 38-year-old man developed left blurry vision, lower extremity weakness/paresthesia, and bowel/bladder dysfunction three days after receiving the Moderna vaccine. He was diagnosed with left optic neuritis and longitudinally extensive transverse myelitis; he tested positive for the myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody. A 39-year-old woman presented with progressive lower extremity weakness/numbness 7 days after receiving the Pfizer vaccine. She was diagnosed with ATM. Both patients improved with intravenous corticosteroids. The association between CNS demyelinating syndromes and vaccination has been reported for many years. We describe two cases of acute CNS demyelinating events probably associated with both mRNA variations of the SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. While the risk of CNS demyelinating events is non-negligible, the incidence is very low and the overall benefits of vaccination outweigh the marginal risk. However, providers should be aware of this potential neurological complication of the SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccines.
Keywords: COVID-19 vaccine; autoimmune diseases of the nervous system; demyelinating diseases; optic neuritis; transverse myelitis.
© The Author(s) 2022.