Page 20 - Dr Stephanie Seneff - Reviewing Some Possible Unintended Consequences of the mRNA Vaccines Against COVID - 19

Platelets appear to play an important role in viral clearance. Within one minute after platelets were
incubated together with influenza viruses, the viruses had already attached to the platelets.
Subsequent internalization, possibly by phagocytosis, peaked at 30 minutes (Jansen et al., 2020).

The SARS-CoV-2 spike protein binds sialic acid, which means it could attach to glycoproteins in the
platelet membranes (Baker et al., 2020). There is a structural similarity between the S1 spike protein
in SARS CoV and neuraminidase expressed by the influenza virus, which might mean that the spike
protein possesses neuraminidase activity (Zhang et al., 2004). Several viruses express neuraminidase,
and it generally acts enzymatically to catabolize the glycans in glycoproteins through desialylation.

Thus, it seems plausible that a dangerous cascade leading to ITP could ensue following mRNA
vaccination, even with no live virus present, particularly in the context of impaired autophagy.
Immune cells in the arm muscle take up the RNA particles and circulate within the lymph system,
accumulating in the spleen. There, the immune cells produce abundant spike protein, which binds to
the platelet glycoproteins and desialylates them. Platelet interaction with neutrophils causes NETosis
and the launch of an inflammatory cascade. The exposed glycoproteins become targets for
autoimmune antibodies that then attack and remove the platelets, leading to a rapid drop in platelet
counts, and a life-threatening event.

Activation of Latent Herpes Zoster
An observational study conducted at Tel Aviv Medical Center and the Carmel Medical Center in
Haifa, Israel, found a significantly increased rate of herpes zoster following the Pfizer vaccination
(Furer 2021). This observational study monitored patients with pre-existing autoimmune
inflammatory rheumatic diseases (AIIRD). Among the 491 patients with AIIRD over the study
period, 6 (1.2%) were diagnosed with herpes zoster as a first-ever diagnosis between 2 days and 2
weeks after either the first or second vaccination. In the control group of 99 patients there were no
herpes zoster cases identified.

The CDC's VAERS database, queried on April 19, 2021, contains 278 reports of herpes zoster
following either the Moderna or Pfizer vaccinations. Given the documented underreporting to
VAERS (Lazarus et al. 2010), and given the associational nature of VAERS reports, it is not possible
to prove any causal link between the vaccinations and the zoster reports. However, we believe the
occurrence of zoster is another important ‘signal’ in VAERS.

This increased risk to shingles, if valid, may have important broader implications. Multiple studies
have shown that patients with either primary or acquired immune deficiency are more susceptible to
severe herpes zoster infection (Ansari et al., 2020). This suggests that the mRNA vaccines may be
suppressing the innate immune response. There is cross-talk between TNF- α and type I interferon
in autoimmune disease, wherein each suppresses the other (Palucka et al., 2005). Type I interferon
inhibits varicella-zoster virus replication (Ku et al., 2016). TNF- α is sharply upregulated in an
inflammatory response, which is induced by the lipid nanoparticles in the vaccine. Its upregulation is
also associated with the chronic inflammatory state of rheumatoid arthritis (Matsuno et al., 2002).
Exuberant TNF-α expression following vaccination may be interfering with the dendritic cell INF-α
response that keeps latent herpes zoster in check.

International Journal of Vaccine Theory, Practice, and Research 2(1), May 10, 2021 Page | 408