Israel reports probable link between mild cases of heart inflammation and Pfizer jab

Researchers in Israel say they have discovered a small number of heart inflammation cases among mainly young men that they believe could be linked to the Pfizer Covid vaccine.

The condition, known as myocarditis, was reported in 275 of the roughly 5 million people who had received the jab in the six months they have been on offer in Israel.

Analysis of the jab rollout there found there had been 148 cases of myocarditis shortly after the patient had been vaccinated. The remaining 127 are thought to have happened later so a link was unclear.

Most patients who experienced heart inflammation spent no more than four days in hospital and 95 per cent of the cases were classified as mild. Symptoms included tightness in the chest, shortness of breath, a high temperature, fatigue and palpitations. Two patients in the group died. 

Most patients were under the age of 30, with the link observed most strongly in male patients aged 16 to 19, according to the study produced by three teams of experts for Israel’s health ministry.

In a statement to Reuters, the authors said: “There is a probable link between receiving the second dose (of Pfizer) vaccine and the appearance of myocarditis among men aged 16 to 30.”

Pfizer has said it has not observed a higher rate of the condition than would normally be expected in the general population and that no causal link to its vaccine had been established.

Peter Liu, a cardiologist at the University of Ottawa who was also not involved in the research, said the report did not directly link Pfizer’s jab to heart problems.

He said: “While this report is suggestive… it requires validation in other populations by other investigators before we can be certain the link exists.” He pointed to other factors that may be involved, including the spread of other viruses in the community as societies reopen.