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AZ Corona 19 vaccine and syringe. / AFP
In relation to the appearance of blood clots in some people who have been vaccinated against the new coronavirus infection from AstraZeneca (AZ) (Corona 19), the cause is being investigated in various parts of the scientific community.
According to Reuters on the 19th (local time), at least 18 patients have reported symptoms of blood clots in the brain after AZ vaccination to date. In most women, these symptoms occurred. Most of them, except for the two reported in India, were from vaccinations in Europe.
As a consequence of the cessation of AZ vaccination in several European countries, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) held an extraordinary meeting of the Safety Committee and, based on the information collected so far, concluded that AZ vaccine was not related to an overall increased risk of blood clots. However, he did not completely rule out the association with a very rare thrombosis known as cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST).
Many scientists say there is no definitive evidence yet on whether the AZ vaccine causes blood clots and, if so, why. German and Norwegian researchers, once several cases of blood clots were reported, assumed that the antibodies produced during the activation of the immune response of the vaccine triggered the blood clots.
Professor Andre Pallholm from University Hospital in Oslo, Norway, who treated three patients, made this hypothesis at a press conference on the 18th and said: “We made a discovery that could explain the clinical progress of our patients.” However, Professor Holm said the findings were tentative and did not provide any data to support them.
A research team from the Greifswald University Hospital in Germany announced on the 19th that it reached a similar conclusion. He said the treatment might be possible if tested correctly. Researchers at the EMA are also conducting a series of investigations to determine if the clot is related to the AZ vaccine or if it occurred by chance.
Especially, they are noticing that cases like this were mostly seen in young women. Although CVST has been very rare, it has been recognized to be associated with the use of oral contraceptives by pregnant women. “This is one of the things we need to look into soon,” said Javine Strauss of the EMA Safety Committee.
American experts, who have not yet been approved for use of the AZ vaccine, are cautious about the antibody hypothesis. In particular, since the case of blood clots after AZ vaccination received attention, more cases were reported by doctors, again noting that there is concern that vaccination may appear to be associated with blood clots.
American experts also raise doubts that, unlike other Corona 19 vaccines that cause antibody formation, such as Pfizer, Modena, Johnson & Johnson and Russia’s Sputnik V, only the AZ vaccine has a high rate of blood clots. The AZ vaccine, like the Johnson & Johnson and Sputnik vaccines, is a virus-carrying vaccine.
Ahn Hye-won, Hankyung.com Reporter [email protected]
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