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

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

• Herzum A
• Trave I
• D’Agostino F
• Burlando M
• Cozzani E
• Parodi A

• KMID: 2534993
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.7774/cevr.2022.11.2.222

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.

Keyword

COVID-19; COVID-19 vaccine; Epstein-Barr virus; Exanthema; Case report