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. 2021 Dec:12:100136.
doi: 10.1016/j.metop.2021.100136. Epub 2021 Oct 16.

Thyroiditis following vaccination against COVID-19: Report of two cases and review of the literature

Athanasios Siolos  1 , Konstantina Gartzonika  2 , Stelios Tigas  1
Affiliations

Thyroiditis following vaccination against COVID-19: Report of two cases and review of the literature

Athanasios Siolos et al. Metabol Open. 2021 Dec.

Erratum in

Abstract

Introduction: Immune response following viral infections has been suggested as a probable mechanism leading to subacute thyroiditis (SAT). A few cases of SAT following SARS-CoV-2 infection have been described since the outbreak of the pandemic in 2019. Cases of SAT after vaccination against influenza have also been reported. We describe two female patients with thyroiditis after vaccination against SARS-CoV-2.

Presentation of cases: The first patient presented with fever and pain in the thyroid area typical of SAT two weeks after vaccination with the BNT162B2 mRNA (Pfizer-BioNTech) COVID-19 vaccine. The second patient presented with biochemical and imaging features consistent with silent thyroiditis three weeks after vaccination with the ChAdOx1-S (AstraZeneca) vaccine. Both patients were asymptomatic prior to vaccination and PCR of nasopharyngeal swab for SARS-CoV-2 and other respiratory viruses associated with SAT was negative. Serology testing for measles, mumps, rubella, CMV and EBV viruses was suggestive of immunity. Antibody titre against spike S protein of SARS-CoV-2 was measured for both patients and was indicative of adequate post vaccination antibody response. Two months after initial assessment, both patients were euthyroid and asymptomatic.

Conclusions: Subacute as well as silent thyroiditis may rarely occur after vaccination against COVID-19. Further research is needed to investigate the prevalence and pathogenesis of thyroid dysfunction following vaccination against COVID-19.

Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; Silent thyroiditis; Subacute thyroiditis; Vaccine.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interest relevant to the contents of this article.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Scintigraphy image of patient 1 showing decreased uptake of 99mTc-pertechnetate by the thyroid gland.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Thyroid ultrasound image of patient 2; profoundly hypoechoic left lobe with decreased blood flow.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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