AnthonyofBoston
Registered Member
Anthony of Boston's Paper: The First Publication Linking COVID-19 Vaccines to Latent Virus Reactivation (Summary, August 2021)
This self-published hypothesis paper, titled Vaccines and CMV Reactivation and uploaded to Academia.edu on August 9, 2021, holds the distinction of being the earliest known publication explicitly proposing a connection between COVID-19 vaccines and the reactivation of latent viruses—specifically cytomegalovirus (CMV), a common herpesvirus. At approximately 2–3 pages, it functions as a speculative alert rather than a formal study, lacking empirical data, methods, or peer review. It extrapolates from general virology to suggest that mRNA vaccines' immune-modulating effects could rarely trigger CMV reactivation, contributing to select adverse events. The tone balances caution with advocacy for further research while affirming vaccines' overall efficacy.
Key Content and Structure:
Abstract/Introduction and Core Hypothesis: The paper asserts: "The mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines may be inducing a short-lived temporary immunosuppression allowing cytomegalovirus (CMV) to become reactivated in some people in very rare cases." CMV is described as ubiquitous, causing mononucleosis-like illness in teens and young adults (though the paper inaccurately equates it with chickenpox). After primary infection, CMV remains dormant but can reactivate under immunosuppression from drugs, treatments, or vaccines. The hypothesis ties mRNA shots (Pfizer/Moderna) to brief immune dips, enabling rare reactivation that might lead to myocarditis, Guillain-Barré syndrome, or other issues, particularly in individuals aged 16–45, explaining the youth-skewed myocarditis reports.
Main Arguments: Vaccines induce "temporary immunosuppression" similar to other interventions, and spaced dosing may help immune recovery. Reactivation is "very rare" but merits investigation for unexplained post-vaccination symptoms. This mechanism could underlie underreported risks, though the benefits of vaccination outweigh harms.
Evidence and Examples: The paper provides no clinical cases, statistics, or citations. It relies on CMV's known reactivation in immunocompromised patients, such as transplant recipients, and loosely applies this to vaccines.
Discussion/Key Takeaways (originally bullet-pointed in the paper):
- mRNA COVID-19 vaccines may temporarily induce immunosuppression, leading to rare CMV reactivation.
- CMV reactivation can potentially cause myocarditis and Guillain-Barré syndrome in rare cases.
- CMV susceptibility peaks in individuals aged 16–45, affecting younger vaccine recipients.
- Vaccines generally cause temporary immunosuppression, necessitating spaced doses for optimal immune response.
- Despite rare adverse effects, vaccines remain highly effective in preventing infections.
Conclusions and Implications: The paper urges scrutiny: "This is however very rare, but should be looked into as a possible cause of rare instances of myocarditis and Guillain-Barré in those who have taken the COVID-19 mRNA vaccine." It lightly implies ethical considerations, such as better disclosure, but prioritizes scientific inquiry over alarmism.
As the pioneering work in this niche—predating peer-reviewed studies by 1–2 months—it sparked later discussions in vaccine-skeptic circles and was later expanded into a 2023 book. The full text is available on Academia.edu: https://www.academia.edu/50819647/Vaccines_and_CMV_reactivation
First Studies Linking COVID-19 Vaccines to Latent Virus Reactivation
Following Anthony's paper, peer-reviewed literature began to emerge in September 2021, primarily focusing on herpesviruses such as HSV and VZV, with CMV-specific cases reported later, often in immunocompromised patients. These studies generally built on the hypothesis but typically found associations rather than proven causation. Chronologically, the earliest publications include:
- August 9, 2021 – Vaccines and CMV Reactivation (Anthony of Boston): Self-published hypothesis proposing that mRNA vaccines cause temporary immunosuppression, leading to rare CMV reactivation in immunocompetent adults aged 16–45, potentially causing myocarditis or Guillain-Barré. No data, calls for research. https://www.academia.edu/50819647/Vaccines_and_CMV_reactivation
- September 4, 2021 – Facial nerve palsy following the administration of COVID-19 mRNA vaccines: a case series (Chaudhry et al.): Three-patient case series suggesting possible HSV or VZV reactivation as a mechanism for Bell's palsy post-Pfizer/Moderna vaccination, potentially due to lymphocyte reduction. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34445122/
- September 6, 2021 – Varicella-zoster and herpes simplex virus reactivation post-COVID-19 vaccination: a case series (Soon et al.): Six-patient case series reporting shingles (VZV) and HSV outbreaks within weeks of AstraZeneca or Pfizer vaccination, hypothesizing a vaccine-induced immune shift. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34464329/
- September 7, 2021 – Pityriasis Rosea-Like Eruption Following COVID-19 Vaccination (Drago et al.): Case report linking post-vaccination rash to possible HHV-6 or HHV-7 reactivation, potentially via SARS-CoV-2's immunomodulatory effects on latent viruses. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34467536/
- September 24, 2021 – Oropharyngeal shedding of herpesviruses before and after BNT162b2 mRNA vaccination against COVID-19 (Izumiya et al.): Prospective study of 40 participants measuring EBV, CMV, and HSV shedding before and after Pfizer vaccination; no significant increase was found, but this was the first study to directly test for vaccine-triggered reactivation. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34549981/
- January 18, 2022 – Cytomegalovirus Reactivation and Pericarditis Following ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 Vaccination (Wong et al.): Case report documenting CMV reactivation with pericarditis in an immunocompetent adult two weeks after AstraZeneca vaccination. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35082808/
- July 2022 – CMV Infection Following mRNA SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination in Solid Organ Transplant Recipients (Chakravorty et al.): Case series of 10 transplant patients with CMV DNAemia within 45 days of Pfizer or Moderna vaccination, suggesting immune dysregulation; no seroconversion to COVID antibodies noted. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35794249/
