Covid 19 Omicron outbreak: mRNA vaccine credited with removing warts in weird booster side effect

A Sydney-based woman has credited her booster dose of the Covid-19 vaccine with removing two persistent warts she's had for five years.

Erin Riley said she made the discovery two weeks after receiving a mRNA Covid vaccine, which currently include Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna.

"I have had two warts on my hands for the last 5 years," she tweeted. "Tried wart off- they kept coming back. But in the two weeks since I had my booster shot (my first mRNA vaccine as my first two were AZ), they have disappeared completely.

"As in, you can't even tell they were there."

I have had two warts on my hands for the last 5 years. Tried wart off- they kept coming back. But in the two weeks since I had my booster shot (my first mRMA vaccine as my first two were AZ), they have disappeared completely. As in, you can’t even tell they were there.

— Erin Riley (@erinrileyau) January 9, 2022

Since sharing her tweet, several people have commented with similar experiences after receiving the mRNA vaccine, with some noticing the effects after their first dose. Some also described similar instances of disappearing corns and moles.

"I just checked and yes a wart I've had on my finger for at least 20yrs is gone. Not even a mark," shared one respondent.

"OH MY GOD I just checked and one on my toe is significantly smaller?! It's been there maybe 15 years," wrote another.

"OK so this is weird but had a mole just above my eyebrow that been developing very slowly, it's now almost gone … so that's unexpected. not a wart but a mole," they wrote.

Another Twitter user reported anecdotal evidence of mRNA vaccines also having mixed effect on psoriasis and eczema.

"I have anecdotal evidence that it's cleared not only warts, but psoriasis and eczema – & I have other stories that say it cleared one hyperactive skin cell DX and put another into overdrive," the tweet read.

While most warts are harmless, the skin infection is generally caused by different strains of the human papillomaviruses, of which there are over 150.

Although the effect of the Covid-19 vaccine on the viral warts hasn't been well-established, a study from the Journal of The European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology reported on the link between the Covid-19 vaccine and skin conditions.

Photo / Supplied

One potential explanation is that the immune responses initiated by the vaccine, also has an effect on viral warts. Despite this, scientists state more research is needed to cement the link.

"There have been reports on local site reactions, urticaria, morbilliform rash, pernio, pityriasis rosea, erythema multiforme, erythromelalgia, lichen planus, varicella-zoster and herpes simplex reactivation, which occurred after the vaccination," the report read.

While the study states viral warts can disappear "spontaneously," a similar effect has been known to some patients who've received the HPV vaccine.

Unlike viral vector vaccines like the Oxford-AstraZeneca jab, which use weakened virus material to generate an immune response, mRNA vaccines use messenger RNA (mRNA) to trigger an immune response.

The mRNA teaches your immune system how to make the S protein found in the Covid-19 virus, which in turn allows your body to create the antibodies required to protect yourself from future infection.

The mRNA is also broken down within a few days and does not enter the nucleus of the cell, meaning it cannot interact with your genetic material or DNA.