A 62-year-old man from Magdeburg, Germany, embarked on an extraordinary mission, deliberately receiving 217 Covid-19 vaccine shots over a period of 29 months, defying national vaccination guidelines.
This astounding endeavour turned the man, identified by initials "HIM" to protect his identity, into a unique case study, allowing the scientists to explore the effects of repeated vaccination against the same pathogen on the human immune system.
The man’s case was documented in a correspondence published in the Lancet published on March 4, 2023.
A team led by Katharina Kocher, of the Institute for Clinical Microbiology, Immunology and Hygiene of the Unversitätsklinikum Erlangen, in Germany, wrote: “Prime-boost vaccinations can enhance immune responses, whereas chronic antigen exposure can cause immune tolerance. In humans, the benefits, limitations, and risks of repetitive vaccination remain poorly understood.”
No adverse health consequences
The researchers wrote that HIM, from Magdeburg, the capital of Saxony-Anhalt Land (state) took the Johnson & Johnson Ad26.COV2.S vaccine, the AstraZeneca Vaxzevria vaccine, Moderna’s Spikevax vaccine, and the Pfizer–BioNTech Comirnaty original vaccine, as well as the Omicron BA 4–5, BNT-BA.1 and Omicron BA.1 shots. He also took the GSK/Sanofi Vidprevtyn Beta vaccine.
Researchers measured the quantity of HIM’s anti-spike SARS-CoV-2 immuno-globulin (IgG) levels, starting with measurements before the 214th vaccination. A reference cohort of 29 vaccinees (55% female, 45% male) with a three-dose mRNA regimen served as a “control group”.
What the researchers found: HIM’s anti-spike IgG levels were highest on the day of the 214th vaccination and on day 3 after the 215th vaccination – “but contraction kinetics subsequently mirrored those of the control group”, the team reported.
Despite receiving an average of one jab every four days between June 2021 and November 2023, the man did not report any vaccine-related side effects and remained free of COVID-19 infection throughout repeated antigen and PCR testing.
The man's case revealed that his “hypervaccination” did not lead to any adverse health consequences – nor did it notably enhance or impair his immune response.
What remains unclear
However, the direct correlation between his vaccination regimen and his COVID-free status remains unclear.
While this extraordinary case raises eyebrows, Dr. Emily Happy Miller, an expert from Albert Einstein College of Medicine, emphasises the importance of considering individual behaviours and circumstances.
Dr. Kilian Schober, the senior author of the study, underscores that this case is unique. He said that it is not representative of general vaccination strategies.
How did the researchers find HIM? The man's vaccination journey was marked by escalating frequency and suspicion, which drew attention from authorities when he was detained in March 2022 – under suspicion of selling vaccination cards.
No criminal charges
Although no criminal charges were filed, researchers seized the opportunity to study his case, collecting medical data and samples despite his additional vaccinations against their advice.
In order to investigate the immunological effects of hypervaccination in this extraordinary case, the researchers proposed an analysis to HIM through the public prosecutor.
HIM, in turn, willingly and actively consented to provide medical information and donate blood and saliva for the study. This process received approval from the local Ethics Committee of the University Hospital of Erlangen, Germany.
Throughout the entirety of the hypervaccination regimen, HIM did not report any side effects related to vaccination.
“From November 2019, to October 2023, 62 routine clinical chemistry parameters showed no abnormalities attributable to hypervaccination. Furthermore, HIM had no signs of a past SARS-CoV-2 infection, as indicated by repeatedly negative SARS-CoV-2 antigen tests, PCRs and nucleocapsid serology,” the researchers wrote.
“Hyper-vaccination increases the quantity, not the quality, of adaptive immunity,” the researchers wrote.
Nevertheless, this unprecedented case offers insights into the complex interplay between vaccination, immunity, and individual behaviour, highlighting the need for caution and moderation in vaccination practices.
Caption: A record of the SARS-CoV-2 “hyper-vaccination” of a 62-year-old man in Germany, identified by his initials “HIM”. The data, published in the Lancet, also recorded infection testing and sample collection history conducted by the researchers. It also shows the numbers and overlap of confirmed and reported, total and individually recorded vaccinations, as well as the timeline of spike-specific IgG in serum, among other data points.
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