Epstein-Barr virus reactivation after COVID-19 vaccination in a young immunocompetent man: a case report

Astrid Herzum; Ilaria Trave; Federica D'Agostino; Martina Burlando; Emanuele Cozzani; Aurora Parodi

doi:10.7774/cevr.2022.11.2.222

Epstein-Barr virus reactivation after COVID-19 vaccination in a young immunocompetent man: a case report

Clin Exp Vaccine Res. 2022 May;11(2):222-225. doi: 10.7774/cevr.2022.11.2.222. Epub 2022 May 31.

Authors

Astrid Herzum¹, Ilaria Trave¹, Federica D'Agostino¹, Martina Burlando¹, Emanuele Cozzani¹, Aurora Parodi¹

Affiliation

¹ Department of Dermatology, Di.S.Sal., University of Genoa, San Martino Polyclinic Hospital IRCCS, Genoa, Italy.

Abstract

We present the case of a 24-year-old Caucasian man, who developed a scaly erythematous skin rash after the second dose of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination with Comirnaty (BNT162b2, BioNTech/Pfizer; Pfizer, New York, NY, USA) and proved positive for Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) reactivation. The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) mRNA vaccines have been associated with an up-regulated T helper type 1-cell response, possibly favoring an immune system imbalance. Also, EBV reactivation has been postulated after COVID-19 vaccination, but only in the immunosuppressed. Noteworthy we report the first case of EBV viral reactivation associated with cutaneous manifestations in an immunocompetent patient after the COVID-19 vaccine.

Keywords: COVID-19; COVID-19 vaccine; Case report; Epstein-Barr virus; Exanthema.

Publication types

Case Reports