COVID-19 Infections and Vaccines Causes the Onset of TAFRO Syndrome and Idiopathic Multicentric Castleman Disease
Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team Dec 08, 2025 1 hour, 31 minutes ago
Medical News: Rise in Rare Disorders After the Pandemic
A new study from researchers at Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and Saiseikai Nagasaki Hospital in Japan has uncovered a worrying trend. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a noticeable rise in cases of two rare immune-related diseases—TAFRO syndrome and idiopathic multicentric Castleman disease (iMCD). These conditions, while once rare, are severe and often life-threatening. According to the research, the number of new cases nearly tripled after the start of the pandemic.
TAFRO syndrome is a once rare illness marked by symptoms like low blood platelet counts, severe body swelling, fever, organ enlargement, and bone marrow issues. iMCD is a disorder involving abnormal growth of lymph node tissue across the body. Both diseases are believed to result from immune system dysfunction. This
Medical News report highlights concerns that both COVID-19 infections and vaccinations may be triggering immune reactions in some vulnerable individuals, leading to these diseases.
Shocking Link to Recent Vaccinations
The study examined hospital records over a ten-year period and found that out of 25 total cases, 18 occurred after the pandemic began in early 2020. Strikingly, four patients developed TAFRO syndrome within just four weeks of receiving a COVID-19 vaccine—and all of them required admission to the intensive care unit (ICU). Among nine other patients who hadn’t been vaccinated recently, only two needed ICU care. This indicates a significant jump in severity among post-vaccine cases.
Though researchers caution that the study is based on a small number of patients and may be influenced by greater awareness of these conditions, the findings suggest a concerning pattern that warrants further investigation.
Why This May Be Happening
Scientists suspect that the COVID-19 virus and the vaccines may both activate the immune system in powerful ways. In some people, this immune activation could go too far, leading to inflammation-driven disorders like TAFRO and iMCD. The researchers observed increased levels of inflammatory molecules like IL-6 and VEGF in affected patients—markers also seen in severe COVID-19 cases.
The study also noted that three of the four post-vaccination TAFRO cases occurred in women, raising questions about whether gender could play a role in susceptibility. Previous data had shown men were more likely to be affected.
A Call for More Research and Careful Monitoring
Although COVID-19 vaccines have saved millions of lives globally, this study reminds us that rare but serious side effects may still occur. Doctors are advised to remain alert to symptoms like unexplained swelling, fever, and low platelet counts in recently vaccinated individuals. The research team urges larger studies to further investigate these links.
The study findings were published in the peer reviewed journal: Immunology Letters.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165247825001567
For the latest
COVID-19 news, keep on logging to Thailand
Medical News.
Read Also:
https://www.thailandmedical.news/articles/coronavirus
https://www.thailandmedical.news/articles/long-covid
https://www.thailandmedical.news/articles/covid-19---immunology
Share
Tweet
Share
