Dermatomyositis following COVID-19 Vaccination: A Case Report and Review of Vaccine-associated Autoimmune Phenomena
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Case Report
Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the vital role of vaccination in mitigating widespread morbidity and mortality. Nevertheless, the global vaccination campaign has also brought to light rare but notable immune-mediated adverse events. Vaccination is inherently immune stimulatory, designed to provoke a robust immune response, and in rare instances, this heightened immune activity may unmask or trigger autoimmunity in genetically predisposed individuals. Proposed mechanisms include molecular mimicry, epitope spreading, and bystander activation, all of which can disrupt immune tolerance and initiate autoreactive responses. This case report explores a potential link between COVID-19 vaccination and the onset of dermatomyositis, adding to the growing body of literature examining the rare but important phenomenon of vaccine-associated autoimmunity.
Source: Acta Medica Philippina
Authors: Mark Andrian O. Yano, MD, Geraldine T. Zamora, MD
Language: English
Subfield: Epidemiology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4410450153