Shingles after COVID-19 Vaccination

This article is about the occurrence of shingles after the COVID-19 vaccination. The first part is how the varicella-zoster virus hides from the immune system. The second is how the COVID-19 vaccine alters the immune system to bring out the shingles.

Shingles as an adverse reaction

The OpenVAERS is easier to be up to date with the number of adverse reactions after the COVID-19 vaccination.

Source: OpenVAERS

As of September 24, 2021, there have been 8,153 reported cases of shingles after the COVID-19 jab. I know someone who had the shingles twice after vaccination.

Chickenpox and Shingles

The Varicella-Zoster Virus (VZV) is the cause of chickenpox and shingles. After an episode of chickenpox, the VZV does not go away. It hides at the cranial nerves coming from the brain or the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) near the spinal cord. The DRG is where the nerves for sensation come from. That is why pain is associated with shingles. Number 13 below is the DRG.

There is a DRG for each level of the spinal cord. The body part supplied by a segment of the spinal cord is called a dermatome. Below is a representation of dermatomes.

The letters in the image correspond to the different levels of the spinal cord. C-cervical, T-thoracic, L-lumbar, and S-sacral. Shingles can happen in any of the dermatomes.

The Varicella-Zoster Virus (VZV) Alters the Immune System so it can Hide

Typically, viral infections induce immunity. The first line of immune cells “eat” or phagocytose the virus, and then another cell like the Killer T-cells will come by and destroy the viruses within the cell.

After that, cell death or apoptosis happens. In apoptosis, the body breaks down the cell and the killed virus into basic elements like amino acids, fatty acids, and sugar molecules. Those elements are reused for fuel or to make new cells. Remember apoptosis since we will return to it.

The VZV is a DNA virus. Some segments of its DNA are called open-reading frames (ORF). These ORFs can influence the functions of the immune system. One of those is the prevention of apoptosis of the cell that engulfed a VZV.

The ORFs also change the behavior of immune cells like macrophages, dendritic cells, and natural killer cells. That way, the VZV survives and hides for years, waiting for the right opportunity to come out, replicate, and spread again. [1]

Varicella-Zoster Reactivation – Shingles

The varicella-zoster virus can reactivate with increasing age, HIV, infections, cancer, physical or emotional stress, fever, tissue damage, diabetes, and immunosuppression. [2]

Vaccination has been associated with shingles formation. A report from Switzerland described shingles following the Hepatitis A vaccine, the influenza vaccine, and in a 27-year-old man who had rabies and Japanese encephalitis vaccine at the same time.[2]

There are several reports in the medical literature of shingles after COVID-19 vaccination using mRNA vaccine[5],[7], the Astra-Zeneca vaccine[4], and inactivated vaccines [6].

The onset of shingles ranged from 5-10 days after COVID-19 vaccination.

The Immune System

Knowledge about the immune system is enormous. Here, we will focus on the parts relevant to this article.

The innate immune system is the all-purpose immune system. It is the front-line defense for infections.  Cells and antibodies in the blood and lining of the respiratory tract from the nose to the lungs and the gastrointestinal tract are involved in sensing disease-causing germs.

The immune system is well-coordinated and proceeds in an orderly manner. First, the body has to detect the disease-causing germs called pathogens. That role is done by molecules called Toll-like receptors or TLR. There are many TLRs, and they have different functions.

TLRs send messages to the other parts of the immune system using signaling proteins called cytokines. Cytokines are like text messages that immune cells send to one another to coordinate their battle plan. The innate immune system also starts the transition to the adaptive immune system.

The adaptive immune system is tailor-made for a specific germ that is at play. Adaptive immunity stores information about that virus or bacteria and keeps it in its records so that when the same microbe shows up again, the specific immune response is faster.

Previous illnesses and vaccination train the adaptive immune response.

Vaccination Alters the Immune System

The BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 reprograms both adaptive and innate immune responses is a study from the Netherlands and Germany that showed the Pfizer Biontech COVID-19 vaccination reprograms both the innate and adaptive immune systems.

The response of innate immune cells to TLR4 and TLR7/8 ligands was lower after BNT162b2 vaccination , while fungi-induced cytokine responses were stronger.

The changes in the immune system after vaccination weakens the control of the immune system on the hiding varicella-zoster virus. Once the immune system weakens, the VZV replicates and moves along the sensory nerves until it reaches the skin and manifests as shingles.

Shingles

Shingles present as blisters around the torso, arms, legs, or face. There may be pain or no pain initially. It is contagious to the touch. Untreated shingles can produce severe pain later on called postherpetic neuralgia.

Nerves inside the brain can also be affected and present as facial paralysis (Bell’s palsy), hearing or balance problems.

A severe condition that can happen is inflammation of the brain (encephalitis). Encephalitis can present as fever, headaches, seizures, movement disorders, sensitivity to light, sound, neck stiffness, and loss of consciousness. Severe cases present as weakness in the arms and legs, double vision, and speech or hearing impairment. Many of these cases will have a CT scan of the head or an MRI of the brain. If the cause is from the VZV, then only the MRI can detect the encephalitis.

If an attending physician is not considering an atypical presentation of shingles, then it will remain undiagnosed and untreated.

Suppose you look again at the Open VAERS data above, 9,035 Bell’s palsy, 20,789 with permanent disabilities, and 16,875 with life-threatening conditions. I wonder how many of those are untreated shingles.

Treatment for shingles should be started within 48 hours. The rash may look red and not raised at the start. The clue is that it is localized and follows a dermatome. Below is an early shingles rash.

There are times where there is no rash but only pain that follows a dermatomal distribution. Shingles without a rash can happen and needs treatment. [1]

If the area around the eyes are involved, hospitalization is needed for intravenous antivirals. Shingles around the eyes can lead to blindness.

Intermittent Fasting for Prevention?

Most people eat three times a day with snacks in between. That eating habit assures a constantly elevated insulin level. In a sedentary lifestyle, insulin stores calories as fat.

The abdominal fat is notorious for being the source of molecules called pro-inflammatory cytokines. Those cytokines lead to chronic conditions like metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia,  atherosclerosis, hypertension, and high cholesterol. These conditions work together to cause strokes, heart attacks, cancer, and poor immunity.

Intermittent fasting is when the hours of eating are limited. The fasting period can be from 16 hours to 20 to 36 hours. The fasting period includes the sleeping time, which makes it shorter than it seems to be.

Some people can fast for days. Water, black coffee, and unsweetened tea are allowed—more information about intermittent fasting at the related articles below.

No calories are consumed during fasting. The fat inside the abdomen becomes the source of energy during fasting leading to many health benefits.

Autophagy

Autophagy comes from the words eat and yourself.  If there are no calories ingested, The body does some “house cleaning” by breaking down old, broken down, and useless cells. Those cells are from wear and tear, previous infections, and precancerous and early cancer cells.   To me, it seems like the varicella-zoster virus that is hiding would be a good candidate for autophagy during fasting.

Take-Away Message

Shingles can happen after vaccination. Early treatment is critical, or else severe and debilitating pain can occur during and after the shingles.

When symptoms related to the brain are present, ask your doctor if it may be atypical shingles. Common diseases can present uncommonly.

Intermittent fasting seems like a viable option to get rid of a latent varicella-zoster infection. It also improves your risk of strokes and heart attacks.

Knowledge about Covid-19 is rapidly evolving. New studies keep coming. Stay current by subscribing. Feel free to share and like.

Don’t Get Sick!

Related:

1. How to Do Intermittent Fasting
2. The Kaizen Way of Fasting
3. Early Time-Restricted Feeding is Intermittent Fasting In Sync with the Circadian Rhythm
4. Intermittent Fasting while on Diabetes Medications
5. Will Fasting Make My Muscles Shrink?
6. The 20/80 Rule for Health
7. Autophagy – How to Recycle Yourself
8. A Case Report of 3 Diabetic Patients that are Weaned Off Insulin
9. What is Insulin Resistance?
10. Hyperinsulinemia
11. What is the Goal of Diabetes Treatment?
12. Sugar Increases Blood Pressure, Weight, Worsens Diabetes and COVID-19 Outcomes
13. The Metabolic Syndrome
14. Diseases Associated with the Metabolic Syndrome
15. The 80/20 Rule Applied to Diseases

References:

1. Gerada C, Campbell TM, Kennedy JJ, McSharry BP, Steain M, Slobedman B, Abendroth A. Manipulation of the Innate Immune Response by Varicella Zoster Virus. Front Immunol. 2020 January 24;11:1. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.00001. PMID: 32038653; PMCID: PMC6992605.
2. Walter R, Hartmann K, Pool V, Gargiullo P, Kuhn M. Reaktivierung von Herpesviren-Infektionen durch Impfungen: Evidenz oder Koinzidenz? [Reactivation of herpes virus infections by vaccination: evidence or coincidence?]. Schweiz Med Wochenschr. 2000 Nov 4;130(44):1685-8. German. PMID: 11103441.
3. Föhse et al., The BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 reprograms both adaptive and innate immune responses. medRxiv 2021.05.03.21256520; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.05.03.21256520
4. Vastarella M, Picone V, Martora F, Fabbrocini G. Herpes zoster after ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine: a case series. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. 2021 Aug 7:10.1111/jdv.17576. doi: 10.1111/jdv.17576. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 34363717; PMCID: PMC8447055.
5. Eid E, Abdullah L, Kurban M, Abbas O. Herpes zoster emergence following mRNA COVID-19 vaccine. J Med Virol. 2021;93(9):5231-5232. doi:10.1002/jmv.27036
6. Bostan E, Yalici-Armagan B. Herpes zoster following inactivated COVID-19 vaccine: A coexistence or coincidence? J Cosmet Dermatol. 2021 Jun;20(6):1566-1567. doi: 10.1111/jocd.14035. Epub 2021 March 8. PMID: 33638924.
7. van Dam CS, Lede I, Schaar J, Al-Dulaimy M, Rösken R, Smits M. Herpes zoster after COVID vaccination. Int J Infect Dis. 2021;111:169-171. doi:10.1016/j.ijid.2021.08.048
8. Mani K, Javaheri A, Diwan A. Lysosomes Mediate Benefits of Intermittent Fasting in Cardiometabolic Disease: The Janitor Is the Undercover Boss. Compr Physiol. 2018;8(4):1639-1667. Published 2018 September 14. doi:10.1002/cphy.c180005

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