(1) Background: The present study aims to report the side effects of vaccination against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) among patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) who were being treated with disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) in Poland. (2) Methods: The study included 2261 patients with MS who were being treated with DMTs, and who were vaccinated against COVID-19 in 16 Polish MS centers. The data collected were demographic information, specific MS characteristics, current DMTs, type of vaccine, side effects after vaccination, time of side-effect symptom onset and resolution, applied treatment, relapse occurrence, and incidence of COVID-19 after vaccination. The results were presented using maximum likelihood estimates of the odds ratio, t-test, Pearson’s chi-squared test, Fisher’s exact p, and logistic regression. The statistical analyses were performed using STATA 15 software. (3) Of the 2261 sampled patients, 1862 (82.4%) were vaccinated with nucleoside-modified messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines. Mild symptoms after immunization, often after the first dose, were reported in 70.6% of individuals. Symptoms included arm pain (47.5% after the first dose and 38.7% after the second dose), fever/chills/flu-like symptoms (17.1% after the first dose and 20.5% after the second dose), and fatigue (10.3% after the first dose and 11.3% after the second dose). Only one individual presented with severe side effects (pro-thrombotic complications) after vaccination. None of the DMTs in the presented cohort were predisposed to the development of side effects. Nine patients (0.4%) had a SARS-CoV-2 infection confirmed despite vaccination. (4) Conclusions: Vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 is safe for people with MS who are being treated with DMTs. Most adverse events following vaccination are mild and the acute relapse incidence is low.

The effects of COVID-19 on the human body are not yet understood enough. Medical history provides information on cases of psychiatric symptoms during viral infections in the 20th century, such as the influenza pandemic. Currently, it is observed that there is an increasing number of new psychiatric disorders in previously healthy individuals. In addition, because of the decreased amount of reporting to health care providers, including psychiatrists, many physicians suggest that the number of neuropsychiatric disorders may be underestimated. In this paper, we review available studies on the occurrence of first-time psychotic spectrum disorder (PSD) in individuals related to SARS-CoV-2 infection. The reviewed studies suggest that first-time psychotic disorder in COVID-19 patients is statistically significantly more frequent compared to influenza, as well as to other respiratory infections. The emergence of new PSDs is explained by direct neurotropism of the virus on the one hand and by immunological mechanisms on the other. The main conclusions of this review should be treated with caution, and future research on this topic is needed. The authors recognize the particular need to develop standardized laboratory panels that include inflammatory markers (IL-6, TNF-α), cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) testing, and SARS-CoV-2 antibody assays to entirely understand the etiology of neuropsychiatric complications of SARS-CoV-2 infections and the pandemic itself. In addition, public health efforts are required to promote mental health, especially during COVID-19.

Clinical rationale for the study. The course of COVID-19 in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) has been described, while the serological status after SARS-CoV-2 infection or vaccination, especially in patients treated with disease-modifying therapies (DMT), is still under investigation. This is a significant clinical problem, as certain DMTs may predispose to a severe course of viral infections. Aim of the study. We analyzed the presence of antibodies against spike (S) and nucleocapsid (N) proteins of SARS-CoV-2 in relapsing-remitting PwMS treated with DMT, especially dimethyl fumarate, interferon beta, and glatiramer acetate, in a single multiple sclerosis (MS) centre in north-eastern Poland (the Department of Neurology, Medical University of Bialystok). Material and methods. The presence of antibodies against S and N proteins in PwMS was assessed twice: on visit one (between May and June 2020) (n = 186) and on visit two (between May and June 2021) (n = 88). Samples were taken from 68 individuals on both visits. Demographic and clinical data was collected: duration of MS, Expanded Disability Status Scale Score (EDSS), type of DMT, history of COVID-19 (positive PCR or antigen test in the past), vaccination status, and the type of vaccine. Results. It was shown that on visit one: 3.7% (n = 7) PwMS were positive for IgA against S protein (IgA-S), 3.2% (n = 6) for IgG against S (IgG-S) protein, and none of those examined was positive for IgG against N protein (IgG-N). On visit two, the most common detected antibodies were IgG-S (71.3%; n = 62), then IgA-S (65.1%; n = 55), and the least common was IgG-N (18.2%; n = 16). On visit two: 20.45% of PwMS had a history of a positive SARS-CoV-2 PCR or antigen test during the last year. By the time of visit two, 42.05% (n = 37) of patients who participated in visit two had been full-course vaccinated against COVID-19. It was demonstrated that vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 significantly induces the production of IgG-S and IgA-S (p < 0.0001), while no difference between vaccinated and unvaccinated patients was shown in the detection of IgG-N. There was no correlation between COVID-19 infection and antibodies against proteins S and N in the study group. Moreover, the presented study did not show any relationship between the ability to produce antibodies against the S protein with any of the used DMTs. Conclusions and clinical implications. According to our study, PwMS treated with dimethyl fumarate, interferon beta, or glatiramer acetate can efficiently produce antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 both after infection and after vaccination. Clinical rationale for the study. The course of COVID-19 in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) has been described, while the serological status after SARS-CoV-2 infection or vaccination, especially in patients treated with disease-modifying therapies (DMT), is still under investigation. This is a significant clinical problem, as certain DMTs may predispose to a severe course of viral infections. Aim of the study. We analyzed the presence of antibodies against spike (S) and nucleocapsid (N) proteins of SARS-CoV-2 in relapsing-remitting PwMS treated with DMT, especially dimethyl fumarate, interferon beta, and glatiramer acetate, in a single multiple sclerosis (MS) centre in north-eastern Poland (the Department of Neurology, Medical University of Bialystok). Material and methods. The presence of antibodies against S and N proteins in PwMS was assessed twice: on visit one (between May and June 2020) (n = 186) and on visit two (between May and June 2021) (n = 88). Samples were taken from 68 individuals on both visits. Demographic and clinical data was collected: duration of MS, Expanded Disability Status Scale Score (EDSS), type of DMT, history of COVID-19 (positive PCR or antigen test in the past), vaccination status, and the type of vaccine. Results. It was shown that on visit one: 3.7% (n = 7) PwMS were positive for IgA against S protein (IgA-S), 3.2% (n = 6) for IgG against S (IgG-S) protein, and none of those examined was positive for IgG against N protein (IgG-N). On visit two, the most common detected antibodies were IgG-S (71.3%; n = 62), then IgA-S (65.1%; n = 55), and the least common was IgG-N (18.2%; n = 16). On visit two: 20.45% of PwMS had a history of a positive SARS-CoV-2 PCR or antigen test during the last year. By the time of visit two, 42.05% (n = 37) of patients who participated in visit two had been full-course vaccinated against COVID-19. It was demonstrated that vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 significantly induces the production of IgG-S and IgA-S (p < 0.0001), while no difference between vaccinated and unvaccinated patients was shown in the detection of IgG-N. There was no correlation between COVID-19 infection and antibodies against proteins S and N in the study group. Moreover, the presented study did not show any relationship between the ability to produce antibodies against the S protein with any of the used DMTs. Conclusions and clinical implications. According to our study, PwMS treated with dimethyl fumarate, interferon beta, or glatiramer acetate can efficiently produce antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 both after infection and after vaccination.

Variants in the ERCC4 gene have been described to be associated with the following autosomal recessive diseases: xeroderma pigmentosum group F (XPF), xeroderma pigmentosum type F/Cockayne syndrome (XPF/CS), Fanconi anemia complementation group Q (FANCQ), and XFE progeroid syndrome (XFEPS). In this paper, we present a case of a 53-year-old Caucasian female patient with rare variants in the ERCC4 gene. When she was 42 years old, falls and loss of balance occurred. At the age of 48, involuntary, uncoordinated movements of the upper limbs and head, tongue stereotypes (licking and extending movements), speech problems (dysarthria), memory deterioration, and hearing loss occurred. Since childhood, she has shown hypersensitivity to UV radiation. The neurological examination revealed chorea syndrome, cerebellar ataxia, dysarthria, and bilateral hearing loss. She has numerous pigmented lesions on the skin. Brain MRI demonstrated massive cortico-subcortical atrophy. The neuropsychological examination revealed dysfunctions in the executive domain in terms of attention, working memory, organizing, and planning activities. The genetic diagnostics was performed which excluded spinocerebellar ataxia types 1, 2, 3, 6, and 17, Huntington’s disease, and FMR1 premutation. In the genetic analysis of next-generation sequencing (NGS), two variants: c.2395C > T and c.1349G > A in the ERCC4 gene were identified in a heterozygote configuration. So far, a few cases of ERCC4 gene variants, which are associated with nucleotide excision repair pathways, have been described in connection with symptoms of cerebellar ataxia. In patients with ERCC4 biallelic variants, the adult neurological phenotype can sometimes be the first symptom and reason for access to genetic testing. The aforementioned case highlights the occurrence of rare genetic causes of progressive neurodegenerative diseases in adults, especially with the spectrum of autosomal recessive nucleotide excision repair pathway disorders (NERDs).

Background/Objectives: The impact of vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 on the immunity of patients with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) is still not fully known. Further clarification could help address medical concerns related to the use of immunosuppressive and immunomodulatory medications, known as disease-modifying therapies (DMTs), in PwMS, as well as ensure adequate protection against severe outcomes of COVID-19. Therefore, the aim of our study was to evaluate the humoral and cellular immune response in PwMS treated with DMTs. Methods: The concentrations of IgG Spike (S) anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies and IgG Nucleocapsid (N) anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, as well as interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) titers were analyzed in PwMS groups treated with dimethyl fumarate (DMF), interferon beta (IFN), and healthy control group. Results: Almost 100% of PwMS experienced seroconversion, which resulted from either vaccination and/or prior infection. Additionally, there were no significant differences between the study and control groups in terms of IgG (S) and (N) anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody levels. However, interferon-gamma titers were lower in both PwMS groups, which may indicate adequate humoral and decreased cellular response to the examined PwMS. Additionally, after the division of the whole study group into two subgroups according to the time since the last vaccination, IgG (S) anti-SARS-CoV-2 and IFN-γ concentrations were significantly lower in the case of patients who were immunized more than 200 days before sample collection. No differences were observed in the case of subgroups in which sample collection was less than 200 days after vaccination when compared to the control group. Conclusions: This could indicate a time-related decrease in immunity in PwMS treated with DMTs.

The coronavirus 2019 disease (COVID-19) course and serological statuses of patients with relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), treated with disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) are generally parallel that of the general population. Over the pandemic’s course, however, a notable increase in the number of RRMS patients who received vaccination against severe acute respiratory coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and those who had COVID-19 (symptomatic and asymptomatic) was reported. This virus and/or vaccination likely influenced DMT-treated RRMS patients’ serological statuses regarding the presence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies and their quantitative expression. This investigation assesses the presence and levels of the antibody directed against the S1 protein receptor binding domain (SRBD) and against the N protein of SARS-CoV-2 in 38 DMT-treated RRMS patients. The findings indicate that people vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2 exhibited significantly higher levels of IgG antibodies against S1-RBD at both assessment points. Patients with a prior history of COVID-19 demonstrated statistically significant increases in anti-N antibodies at visit 1, whereas such statistical significance was not observed at visit 2. DMT-treated RRMS patients generated neutralizing antibodies following vaccination and/or COVID-19 infection. Nevertheless, it is noteworthy that antibody levels more accurately reflect the serological status and exhibit a stronger correlation with vaccination than just the presence of antibodies.