Acute Rejection Following COVID-19 Vaccination in Penetrating Keratoplasty in a Young Male – A Case Report and Review of Literature

ABSTRACT

Purpose

To report a case of a boy with acute keratoplasty rejection manifesting 12 days after receiving BNT162b2 messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccine for COVID-19.

Study design

A case report.

Results

A 15-year-old boy with a history of penetrating keratoplasty due to acanthamoeba keratitis developed corneal decompensation 12 days after BNT162b2 messenger RNA vaccine for COVID-19 disease. One-week treatment with topical Dexamethasone 2% eye drops resulted in a complete resolution of corneal edema.

Conclusions

This case suggests that BNT162b2 messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccine can be associated with acute keratoplasty rejection in children, which responds completely to topical steroids. Ophthalmologists should be aware of this risk of cornea decompensation after COVID-19 vaccine in children who received a cornea transplant.

KEYWORDS:

• COVID-19
• ocular involvement
• penetrating keratoplasty
• rejection
• SARS-CoV-2
• vaccine

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.