A Rare Case of M-RNA Vaccine (COVID-19) Induced Autoimmune Hemolytic Anaemia

ABSTRACT

Aim and Background: We present a rare case of autoimmune haemolytic anemia (AIHA) in a 65-year-old patient 1-month post- COVID-19 vaccination. AIHA is a clinical condition characterized by autoantibody-mediated RBC destruction. Materials and methods: Our patient had cold agglutinin disease, where antibody-mediated RBC lysis was demonstrated predominantly at 4-degree centigrade. Although AIHA is rare in this age group, after excluding all secondary causes of AIHA like Epstein bar virus (EBV), hepatitis C virus, cryoglobulinemia, lymphomas we came to a conclusion that AIHA in this patient was triggered post-vaccination. We treated AIHA with steroids and rituximab. Conclusion: Though vaccination is safe patients present with mild-to-moderate symptoms post-vaccination like fevers, limb pain, allergies hair loss, which are transient. Some patients may develop haemolysis secondary to autoantibody production post-vaccination owing to molecular mimicry. Hence, clinicians treating should have a high suspicion for it.