Transplant recipients are rejecting their new organ after receiving a vaccination against Covid-19, adding an additional challenge for the vaccinated population, according to the new study published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine.

A group of 18 health experts and researchers from Japan conducted a study to systematically evaluate and characterise the currently reported cases of acute corneal graft rejection after being injected with a Covid “vaccine.”  A rejection graft occurs when the recipient’s immune system rejects tissue from a donor, in this case, the cornea.

Allograft is the transplant of an organ or tissue from one individual to another of the same species with a different genotype. For example, a transplant from one person to another, but not an identical twin, is an allograft. Allografts account for many human transplants, including those from cadaveric, living-related, and living unrelated donors.

Compared to other organs, the cornea has a relatively low rate of allograft rejection due to its “immune privilege.” This fact prompted the Japanese researchers to examine the recent rise in corneal graft rejection following Covid injections.

“These reports have raised concerns among ophthalmologists as future booster doses of Covid-19 vaccines are being discussed, which may impact outcomes in future corneal allograft recipients,” the authors wrote.

The researchers compiled data from all articles published by 23 February 2022 using electronic bibliographic databases (PubMed and EMBASE).  Twenty-four articles were identified through the database search but only 13 articles met the inclusion criteria and were included in the systematic review. Four articles were from the United States of America; two each from the United Kingdom and India, and one each from Brazil, Greece, Israel, Lebanon, and Italy.

In conclusion, this systematic review identified clinical features and host factors associated with corneal allograft rejection after Covid-19 vaccination. As the virus continues to spread, additional booster Covid-19 vaccine schedules are expected. Therefore, proper follow-up of corneal allograft recipients and interventions to prevent corneal allograft rejection after administering the Covid-19 vaccine may be crucial.

Fujio, K.; Sung, J.; Nakatani, S.; Yamamoto, K.; Iwagami, M.; Fujimoto, K.; Shokirova, H.; Okumura, Y.; Akasaki, Y.; Nagino, K.; Midorikawa-Inomata, A.; Hirosawa, K.; Miura, M.; Huang, T.; Morooka, Y.; Kuwahara, M.; Murakami, A.; Inomata, T. Characteristics and Clinical Ocular Manifestations in Patients with Acute Corneal Graft Rejection after Receiving the Covid-19 Vaccine: A Systematic Review. J. Clin. Med. 2022, 11, 4500. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm11154500

Read the full story: Shocking New Study Reveals Covid-19 Vaccine Causes Organ Rejection Among Transplant Recipients, The Gateway Pundit, 15 September 2022

For those who are interested, you can find out more about corneal graft rejection and graft failure in a slide presentation HERE.