J Korean Med Sci.  2022 Aug;37(30):e233. 10.3346/jkms.2022.37.e233.

mRNA COVID-19 Vaccine-Associated Subserosal Eosinophilic Gastroenteritis: A Case Report

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Internal Medicine, Dong-A University College of Medicine, Busan, Korea

Abstract

The World Health Organization declared coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) a global pandemic in March 2020. Several vaccines have been developed to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic, and messenger RNA vaccines, commonly known as mRNA vaccines, were the first COVID-19 vaccines to be authorized in Korea. With the worldwide increase in vaccinations, reports of adverse reactions are increasing. However, to the best of our knowledge, there have been no reports of eosinophilic gastroenteritis (EGE) following mRNA vaccination. Here, we present the first case of EGE in a patient who received a second dose of the mRNA vaccine, BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech). A previously healthy 34-year-old woman presented to the emergency department with generalized abdominal pain for the preceding 2 weeks. She had received a second dose of the mRNA COVID-19 vaccine 2 weeks prior. Subserosal EGE was diagnosed, oral prednisolone was administered, and she recovered completely.

Keyword

Coronavirus; COVID-19; COVID-19 Vaccines; Eosinophilia

Figure

  • Fig. 1 Abdominal computed tomography scan. (A) Abdominal computed tomography scan demonstrated large amount of ascites in the abdominal cavity. (B) Abdominal computed tomography scan demonstrated intestinal wall edema thickening in the small bowel. (C) Six months later after discharge, abdominal computed tomography scan demonstrated ascites had disappeared and resolved in the abdominal cavity. (D) Six months later after discharge, abdominal computed tomography scan demonstrated resolved state of intestinal wall edema thickening in the small bowel.

  • Fig. 2 Esophagoduodenoscopy and colonoscopy. (A) Esophagoduodenoscopy demonstrated normal mucosal findings of the esophagus and (B) stomach. (C) Colonoscopy demonstrated normal mucosal findings of the ileum and (D) colon.

  • Fig. 3 Absolute eosinophil count over treatment course.AEC = absolute eosinophilic count, CT = computed tomography.


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