Months ago, there were concerns that the vaccinated may be spreading the spike protein to the unvaccinated. It was widespread among social media.
So the question is, is it possible for someone to get the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein from someone vaccinated?
No studies have tested whether a coronavirus protein can be exhaled, but it has been recognized for several years now that proteins can be exhaled.
Studies showing proteins in Exhaled Air
- A 2012 study identified 124 different proteins from exhaled air. [1]
- A Shanghai study identified a total of 1,254 proteins exhaled in patients with lung adenocarcinoma. [2]
- In an Italian study in 2021 among non-smokers, people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) without emphysema, and subjects with pulmonary emphysema associated with α1-antitrypsin deficiency, 44 proteins were identified in exhaled breaths. Among them were inflammatory cytokines like interleukins, interferon-alpha and gamma, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha. [3]
- Research showed that several proteins like cytokeratins, albumin, actin, hemoglobin, lysozyme, dermcidin, and calgranulin B were exhaled by asthmatic patients. [4]
- Another study of people with asthma showed leukotrienes in their exhaled breath condensate. [5]
The above studies are just a sample. You can read the studies if you click on the links below in the references.
What Pfizer says about the possibility of exhaled spike proteins
Pfizer does not say anything specific, but we can glean something from an official Pfizer clinical protocol.
A PHASE 1/2/3, PLACEBO-CONTROLLED, RANDOMIZED, OBSERVER-BLIND, DOSE-FINDING STUDY TO EVALUATE THE SAFETY, TOLERABILITY,
IMMUNOGENICITY AND EFFICACY OF SARS-COV-2 RNA VACCINE CANDIDATES AGAINST COVID-19 IN HEALTHY INDIVIDUALS.
Inside the clinical protocol, there is a phrase called Exposure During Pregnancy (EDP). EDP is when a pregnant woman who is not part of the vaccine study gets inadvertently exposed to vaccinated.
The following is what the Pfizer report says about EDP. (emphasis added)
8.3.5.1. Exposure During Pregnancy
An EDP occurs if:• A female is found to be pregnant while being exposed or having been exposed to study intervention due to environmental exposure. Below are examples of environmental exposure during pregnancy:
• A female family member or healthcare provider reports that she is pregnant after having been exposed to the study intervention by inhalation or skin contact.• A male family member or healthcare provider who has been exposed to the study intervention by inhalation or skin contact then exposes his female partner prior to or around the time of conception
Pfizer is emphatic that EDP should be reported.
Therefore, Pfizer is concerned enough that inhalation or skin contact from a vaccinated person can affect the pregnancy outcome of an unvaccinated woman. Pfizer did not say whether there is a cause and effect about the EDP and pregnancy outcome.
Can Humans have secrete proteins in their skin?
The Pfizer report mentioned that skin contact is another way to get Exposure during pregnancy. As of today, there are no studies about the presence of the coronavirus spike protein in the skin.
However, many studies show that sweat can secrete proteins. The following studies are a sample.
- Highly abundant defense proteins in human sweat as revealed by targeted proteomics and label-free quantification mass spectrometry
- Integrated Transcriptomic and Proteomic Analysis of Human Eccrine Sweat Glands Identifies Missing and Novel Proteins
- The analysis of human sweat proteins by isoelectric focusing. I. Sweat collection utilizing the macroduct system demonstrates the presence of previously unrecognized sex-related proteins
Therefore, even if we don’t have a definitive study that shows humans can exhale spike proteins, there is the possibility, based on other studies.
What happens if someone inhales or gets the spike protein thru skin contact?
Before we answer that, here is the mechanism of the mRNA vaccination. messenger RNA of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein is injected. The mRNA then becomes translated into spike proteins and distributed all over the human body.
If an unvaccinated person inhales the protein or the spike protein from the skin goes through the skin barrier, the body will treat that protein as “foreign” or “non-self.”
Non-self proteins elicit an immune response towards that spike protein and antibodies, and T and B cells will be formed against it. The spike protein does not have any hormonal activity that is why it should not affect the menstrual periods.
The spike protein that is inhaled should not produce more spike proteins. That’s because there are no SARS-CoV-2 mRNA in exhaled breath present that will make it possible.
But that explanation applies if only proteins are exhaled or in the lungs. Let’s go back to the Pfizer document paper,
An EDP occurs if:
A male family member or healthcare provider who has been exposed to the study intervention by inhalation or skin contact then exposes his female partner prior to or around the time of conception.
Something was transmitted twice. From a Pfizer-vaccinated individual to a male and then to a female partner! Is it the same spike protein? It can’t be the mRNA in the vaccine since it gets destroyed easily by warmth. Pfizer Biontech vaccines have to be transported at ultracold temperatures.
Remember that part where it said that Pfizer wants to be informed if an EDP happens? The following is what they will do.
The investigator must report EDP to Pfizer Safety within 24 hours of the investigator’s awareness, irrespective of whether an SAE (severe adverse reaction) has occurred. The initial information submitted should include the anticipated date of delivery.
Pfizer is interested in the pregnancy outcome of the mother who had ADE.
Follow-up is conducted to obtain general information on the pregnancy and its outcome for all EDP reports with an unknown outcome. The investigator will follow the pregnancy until
completion (or until pregnancy termination) and notify Pfizer Safety of the outcome as a follow-up to the initial EDP Supplemental Form. In the case of a live birth, the structural integrity of the neonate can be assessed at the time of birth. In the event of a termination, the reason(s) for termination should be specified and, if clinically possible, the structural integrity of the terminated fetus should be assessed by gross visual inspection (unless
preprocedure test findings are conclusive for a congenital anomaly and the findings are reported).
Whatever it is, Pfizer does not rule out the possibility that it can affect the organs of the fetus.
What is crazy is that the CDC says it’s OK for the pregnant to get vaccinated.
How can pregnant women get vaccinated if the Pfizer vaccine study is not yet over? It’s ongoing. Here is the timetable for the Phase 1 trial. The trials started in 2020. 
Back to the topic of exhaled/inhaled proteins. Here is a question that many ask.
If I’m unvaccinated and I inhaled the Spike proteins, will I develop immunity to SARS-CoV-2?
We don’t know for sure, but an article from MIT in March 2021, Vaccination by inhalation, discussed that vaccination thru the lungs are possible. Controlled tests should be done.
Take-away message
Spike proteins can potentially be inhaled. However, a well-functioning immune system can deal with it, and it should not cause any disease nor have any hormonal effects.
That’s what we know so far.
Knowledge about Covid-19 is rapidly evolving. Knowledge is added as new studies are made. Stay current by subscribing. Feel free to share and like.
Don’t Get Sick!
References:
- Bredberg A, Gobom J, Almstrand AC, Larsson P, Blennow K, Olin AC, Mirgorodskaya E. Exhaled endogenous particles contain lung proteins. Clin Chem. 2012 Feb;58(2):431-40. doi: 10.1373/clinchem.2011.169235. Epub 2011 Dec 7. PMID: 22156667.
- Ma L, Xiu G, Muscat J, Sinha R, Sun D, Xiu G. Comparative proteomic analysis of exhaled breath condensate between lung adenocarcinoma and CT-detected benign pulmonary nodule patients. Cancer Biomark. 2021 Jul 15. doi: 10.3233/CBM-203269. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34334381.
- Fumagalli M, Ferrari F, Luisetti M, et al. Profiling the proteome of exhaled breath condensate in healthy smokers and COPD patients by LC-MS/MS. Int J Mol Sci. 2012;13(11):13894-13910. Published 2012 Oct 29. doi:10.3390/ijms131113894
- Bloemen K, Van Den Heuvel R, Govarts E, Hooyberghs J, Nelen V, Witters E, Desager K, Schoeters G. A new approach to study exhaled proteins as potential biomarkers for asthma. Clin Exp Allergy. 2011 Mar;41(3):346-56. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2222.2010.03638.x. Epub 2010 Nov 24. PMID: 21105917.
- Montuschi P, Barnes PJ. Exhaled leukotrienes and prostaglandins in asthma. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2002 Apr;109(4):615-20. doi: 10.1067/mai.2002.122461. PMID: 11941309.
Image credit Lungs: Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=789698
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