It’s now known that tinnitus may be an unexpected side effect of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination, and there is an urgent need to understand the precise mechanisms and best treatment for vaccine-associated tinnitus, researchers say.
As of mid-September 2021, 12,247 cases of tinnitus, or ringing in the ears, following COVID-19 vaccination have been reported to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The researchers review what is known and unknown about SARS-CoV-2 vaccine-associated tinnitus in an article published online February 11 in Annals of Medicine and Surgery.
The researchers say cross-reactivity between anti-spike SARS-CoV-2 antibodies and otologic antigens is one possibility, based on the mechanisms behind other COVID-19 vaccine-induced disorders and the phenomenon of molecular mimicry.
“The heptapeptide resemblance between coronavirus spike glycoprotein and numerous human proteins further supports molecular mimicry as a potential mechanism behind such vaccine-induced disorders,” they write.
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Anti-spike antibodies may react with antigens anywhere along the auditory pathway and fuel an inflammatory reaction, they point out.
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Genetic predispositions and associated conditions may also play a significant role in determining whether an individual develops vaccine-induced tinnitus.
