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11 Recipients Of Aztrazeneca’s COVID-19 Vaccine Exhibit Rare Neurological Disorder After Receiving Jab

11 Recipients Of Aztrazeneca’s COVID-19 Vaccine Exhibit Rare Neurological Disorder After Receiving Jab
Six out of the seven patients in India progressed to areflexic quadriplegia and required mechanical ventilatory support.

In two separate studies, researchers have found cases of a rare neurological disorder in recipients of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine. Read on to know more.

Written by Jahnavi Sarma |Updated : June 24, 2021 9:34 AM IST

COVID-19 vaccine side effects are usually minor and includes mild fever, body pain and fatigue, which usually goes away in two to three days. But sometimes, some people may experience severe adverse reactions to the jab, which may even turn fatal if prompt action is not taken. Now two separate studies say that eleven people who received the AstraZeneca-Oxford COVID-19 vaccine apparently developed a rare neurological disorder, called Guillain-Barre syndrome, in India and England. The studies are published in the peer-reviewed medical journal Annals of Neurology. Both the studies describe an unusual variant of Guillain-Barre syndrome, which is characterised by prominent facial weakness. Researchers saw that all eleven people had received the vaccine 10 to 22 days earlier.

7 cases in Kerala, six needed ventilatory support

According to researchers from Aster Medcity, Kochi, Kerala, out of these eleven cases, seven were reported from a regional medical center in Kerala, India, where around 1.2 million people were vaccinated with the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine till April 22. This vaccine is available as Covishield in India. The recipients exhibited symptoms of this neurological disorder within two weeks of the first dose of vaccination. Six out of the seven patients progressed to areflexic quadriplegia and required mechanical ventilatory support.

Bilateral facial weakness common in all recipients

According to researchers, the frequency of Guillain-Barre syndrome was about 1.4 to 10 fold higher than that expected in this period for a population of this magnitude. Moreover, the frequency of bilateral facial weakness, which typically occurs in less than 20 per cent of GBS cases, suggests a pattern associated with the vaccination.

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4 cases in England, each within 3 weeks of vaccination

At the same time, researchers saw four cases in Nottingham, England. According to data, around 700,000 people received the Astra-Zeneca vaccine here. All four cases were characterised by bifacial weakness with a paraesthesias variant of GBS occurring within three weeks of vaccination. The patients were treated with intravenous immunoglobulin, oral steroids or no treatment.

This vaccine side effect is a complication of COVID infection too

According to researchers from Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, UK, this rare neurological syndrome was previously found to be a complication of COVID-19 infection. They say that If the link between this side effect and vaccine is causal, it could be due to a cross-reactive immune response to the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and components of the peripheral immune system. While pointing out that the benefits of vaccination substantially outweigh the risk of this relatively rare outcome (5.8 per million), the researchers warned that clinicians must be alert to this possible adverse event. They must definitely look for this rare neurological syndrome after administration of COVID-19 vaccines.

Symptoms to look out for

Guillain-Barre syndrome is a rare neurological disorder where the body's immune system attacks the nerves. If you have received the AstraZeneca vaccine, be alert for the following symptoms.

  • Weakness and tingling in limbs. It may spread to the rest of the body.
  • Weakness in legs and difficulty walking.
  • Difficulty in speaking, swallowing or chewing.
  • Double vision, difficulty in moving the eyes
  • Increased heart rate and fluctuating blood pressure.
  • Trouble in breathing

If you notice any of these symptoms after getting the vaccine, get immediate medical help.

(With inputs from IANS)