Preprint Immunological and Antigenic Signatures Associated with Chronic Illnesses after COVID-19 Vaccination, 2025, Bhattacharjee et al

Abstract
COVID-19 vaccines have prevented millions of COVID-19 deaths. Yet, a small fraction of the population reports a chronic debilitating condition after COVID-19 vaccination, often referred to as post- vaccination syndrome (PVS). To explore potential pathobiological features associated with PVS, we conducted a decentralized, cross-sectional study involving 42 PVS participants and 22 healthy controls enrolled in the Yale LISTEN study.

Compared with controls, PVS participants exhibited differences in immune profiles, including reduced circulating memory and effector CD4 T cells (type 1 and type 2) and an increase in TNFα+ CD8 T cells. PVS participants also had lower anti-spike antibody titers, primarily due to fewer vaccine doses. Serological evidence of recent Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) reactivation was observed more frequently in PVS participants. Further, individuals with PVS exhibited elevated levels of circulating spike protein compared to healthy controls.

These findings reveal potential immune differences in individuals with PVS that merit further investigation to better understand this condition and inform future research into diagnostic and therapeutic approaches.

Link | PDF (MedRxiv preprint, February 2025, open access)

 

Yale News: 'Immune markers of post vaccination syndrome indicate future research directions'

 

Anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies don't seem to be decreasing over time in the post-vaccination syndrome or control groups that had infections, but they do in the PVS group that was not infected.

Edit: I didn't see the very faint controls without infection also in figure 3C. Their antibodies also don't seem to be decreasing with time.