Generalized fixed drug eruption following Pfizer-BioNtech COVID-19 vaccination

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Immunology
• Vaccinology

Background:

• Fixed drug eruption (FDE) is a specific type of cutaneous adverse drug reaction.
• FDE is characterized by recurrent, well-demarcated erythematous to violaceous patches at previously affected sites upon re-exposure to the culprit drug.
• While commonly associated with antibiotics and NSAIDs, FDE can be triggered by various medications.

Observation:

• A case of generalized non-bullous fixed drug eruption is reported.
• The eruption occurred following administration of the mRNA-based Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.
• The patient presented with multiple, round, sharply demarcated erythematous-to-violaceous patches.

Findings:

• This report documents a rare instance of FDE following vaccination with the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.
• The reaction was generalized and non-bullous, consistent with FDE morphology.
• The temporal association suggests a potential causal link between the vaccine and the observed cutaneous reaction.

Implications:

• This case expands the spectrum of known cutaneous adverse reactions to mRNA COVID-19 vaccines.
• It highlights the importance of considering vaccines as potential triggers for FDE.
• Further pharmacovigilance is warranted to monitor for similar reactions and understand the underlying mechanisms.