New Delhi: Scientists have found that the heart inflammation following COVID-19 vaccination was caused by a more generalized response involving immune cells and inflammation, not by antibodies created by the vaccine. The researchers from Yale University, US, said in their study that the immune systems of these individuals got a little too revved up and over-produced cytokine and cellular responses.
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In their study published in the journal Science Immunology, the researchers also ruled out some of the theorised causes of the heart inflammation and suggested potential ways to further reduce the incidence of a still rare side effect of vaccination.
When COVID-19 vaccines were first administered two years ago public health officials found an increase in cases of myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle, primarily in males in their teens or early 20s who had been vaccinated with mRNA vaccines, designed to elicit immune responses specifically to the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
What was causing this reaction was, however, unclear. For this study, the Yale research team conducted a detailed analysis of immune system responses in those rare cases of myocarditis among vaccinated individuals.
Previous research had suggested that increasing the time between vaccination shots from four to eight weeks may reduce risk of developing myocarditis.
Lead researcher Carrie Lucas, associate professor of immunobiology at the university, said that, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), US, findings, the risk of myocarditis is significantly greater in unvaccinated individuals who contract the COVID-19 virus than in those who receive vaccines.
She emphasised that vaccination offers the best protection from COVID-19-related disease.
The researchers hope that this new knowledge will enable further optimizing mRNA vaccines, which, in addition to offering clear health benefits during the pandemic, have a tremendous potential to save lives across numerous future applications.
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(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
NDTV – Dettol have been working towards a clean and healthy India since 2014 via the Banega Swachh India initiative, which is helmed by Campaign Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan. The campaign aims to highlight the inter-dependency of humans and the environment, and of humans on one another with the focus on One Health, One Planet, One Future – Leaving No One Behind. It stresses on the need to take care of, and consider, everyone’s health in India – especially vulnerable communities – the LGBTQ population, indigenous people, India’s different tribes, ethnic and linguistic minorities, people with disabilities, migrants, geographically remote populations, gender and sexual minorities. In wake of the current COVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign will continue to raise awareness on the same along with focussing on the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children, fight malnutrition, mental wellbeing, self care, science and health, adolescent health & gender awareness. Along with the health of people, the campaign has realised the need to also take care of the health of the eco-system. Our environment is fragile due to human activity, which is not only over-exploiting available resources, but also generating immense pollution as a result of using and extracting those resources. The imbalance has also led to immense biodiversity loss that has caused one of the biggest threats to human survival – climate change. It has now been described as a “code red for humanity.” The campaign will continue to cover issues like air pollution, waste management, plastic ban, manual scavenging and sanitation workers and menstrual hygiene. Banega Swasth India will also be taking forward the dream of Swasth Bharat, the campaign feels that only a Swachh or clean India where toilets are used and open defecation free (ODF) status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014, can eradicate diseases like diahorrea and the country can become a Swasth or healthy India.
