Autoimmune Hepatitis Following Vaccination for SARS-CoV-2 in Korea: Coincidence or Autoimmunity?

• Published in: Journal of Korean medical science Vol. 37; no. 15; pp. e116 - 5
• Main Authors: Kang, Seong Hee, Kim, Moon Young, Cho, Mee Yon, Baik, Soon Koo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Korea (South) The Korean Academy of Medical Sciences 2022; 대한의학회
• Subjects: Adult; Autoimmunity; BNT162 Vaccine; Case Report; COVID-19; COVID-19 Vaccines - adverse effects; Female; Hepatitis, Autoimmune - diagnosis; Hepatitis, Autoimmune - drug therapy; Hepatitis, Autoimmune - etiology; Humans; mRNA Vaccines; SARS-CoV-2; Vaccination - adverse effects; 의학일반; Coronavirus Disease 2019; Autoimmune Hepatitis; Vaccine
• ISSN: 1011-8934; 1598-6357
• DOI: 10.3346/jkms.2022.37.e116

Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is a chronic, autoimmune disease of the liver that occurs when the body's immune system attacks liver cells, causing the liver to be inflamed. AIH is one of the manifestations of a coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), as well as an adverse event occurring after vaccination against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Few cases of AIH have been described after vaccination with two messenger RNA (mRNA)-based vaccines-BTN162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech) and mRNA-1273 (Moderna)-against SARS-CoV-2. Herein, we report a case of AIH occurring after Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. A 27-year-old female presented with jaundice and hepatomegaly, appearing 14 days after receiving the second dose of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. Her laboratory results showed abnormal liver function with high total immunoglobulin G level. She was diagnosed with AIH with histologic finding and successfully treated with oral prednisolone. We report an AIH case after COVID-19 vaccination in Korea.