Autoimmune/autoinflammatory syndrome induced by adjuvants (ASIA syndrome) in commercial sheep

Abstract

We describe a form of the autoimmune/autoinflammatory syndrome induced by adjuvants (ASIA syndrome) in commercial sheep, linked to the repetitive inoculation of aluminum-containing adjuvants through vaccination. The syndrome shows an acute phase that affects less than 0.5% of animals in a given herd, it appears 2-6 days after an adjuvant-containing inoculation and it is characterized by an acute neurological episode with low response to external stimuli and acute meningoencephalitis, most animals apparently recovering afterward. The chronic phase is seen in a higher proportion of flocks, it can follow the acute phase, and it is triggered by external stimuli, mostly low temperatures. The chronic phase begins with an excitatory phase, followed by weakness, extreme cachexia, tetraplegia and death. Gross lesions are related to a cachectic process with muscular atrophy, and microscopic lesions are mostly linked to a neurodegenerative process in both dorsal and ventral column of the gray matter of the spinal cord. Experimental reproduction of ovine ASIA in a small group of repeatedly vaccinated animals was successful. Detection of Al(III) in tissues indicated the presence of aluminum in the nervous tissue of experimental animals. The present report is the first description of a new sheep syndrome (ovine ASIA syndrome) linked to multiple, repetitive vaccination and that can have devastating consequences as it happened after the compulsory vaccination against bluetongue in 2008. The ovine ASIA syndrome can be used as a model of other similar diseases affecting both human and animals. A major research effort is needed in order to understand its complex pathogenesis.

An Overview of Vaccine Rejection and Review of Literature

“…Alüminyumun nörotoksin olduğunu, beyin gelişimi henüz tamamlanmayan süt çocuklarına alüminyum içeren aşıların yapılmasının nörogelişim-sel ve otoimmün hastalıklara yol açabileceğini içeren iddialar vardır 20 . Yapılan laboratuvar çalışmalarında alüminyum ve civanın beraber nöron hücre kültürle-rindeki toksik etkilerinden söz edilmiştir, başka bir ça-lışmada ise bazı koyunlarda aşılanma sonrası ensefalit geliştiği iddia edilmiştir 21,22 . Ancak klinik olarak, aşıya bağlı ensefalit gelişen olgu bildirimi olmadığı gibi aşı-ların önlediği birçok ensefalit ve menenjit vardır.…”

Vaccines, adjuvants and autoimmunity

“…This was suggested to be part of the spectrum of ASIA syndrome. Moreover, the biopsy of the nervous tissue of experimental animals indicated the presence of alum [48].…”

Aluminum and the human diet revisited

“…Injected Al from Al adjuvants in vaccines have a very different fate and appear to be picked up from the draining lymph nodes by circulating macrophages and transported into the CNS 23 . Motor neuron loss following Al hydroxide injections in mice and sheep 24 - 26 and macrophagic myofasciitis in humans involving cognitive dysfunction in humans 27 . Al adjuvants have also been linked to a series of autoimmune disorders in humans 28 …”