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Are there scientific studies on spike protein persistence post-vaccination?
Executive summary
Multiple peer-reviewed and preprint studies have reported detection of SARS‑CoV‑2 spike or S1 protein in blood or tissues for longer than initially expected after vaccination, ranging from days up to many months in select cohorts (examples: up to ~28–60 days in lymph node/plasma studies, up to 245 days in monocytes, and individual reports up to ~709 days) [1] [2] [3] [4]. These findings are limited in sample size and scope, and authors explicitly call for larger, confirmatory studies before drawing clinical or causal conclusions [4] [3].
1. What the literature actually measured — antigen, antibody, cells and tissue
Researchers have used different methods and measured different things: some studies assayed free circulating full‑length spike protein in plasma using highly sensitive assays (noting slow decline over time in specific patients) [2] [5]; others detected S1 subunit protein inside specific immune cells (CD16+ monocytes) using flow cytometry and mass spectrometry [3] [6]. Tissue studies reported spike protein and, in some analyses, vaccine mRNA or spike expression in surgical or biopsy specimens (axillary lymph nodes up to ~60 days; cerebral arteries in a case series up to 17 months) [1] [7]. These are distinct signals with different implications; presence in a cell or tissue is not identical to freely circulating antigen in plasma [1] [3].
2. Reported durations: short, intermediate and unusually long detections
Published work has documented short‑term persistence consistent with vaccine pharmacokinetics (spike detected in plasma up to ~7–28 days; lymph node persistence up to ~60 days) [1]. Separate reports in specialized cohorts have described S1 or spike detected for many months: a medRxiv preprint and journal articles report S1 in monocytes up to 245 days [3] [6], a Yale preprint and Yale News coverage note some participants with detectable spike more than 700 days after vaccination in a small post‑vaccination syndrome cohort [8] [4], and a 2023 myocarditis series found elevated free spike in affected adolescents/young adults [2] [5]. Authors and outlets vary in how they frame these long durations and emphasize that findings are not yet definitive [4] [3].
3. Who was studied — small, selected cohorts vs. population data
Most reports citing long persistence come from small, selected groups: case series of myocarditis patients, cohorts of people with persistent post‑vaccination symptoms (often tens of participants), or tissue samples from patients undergoing specific procedures [2] [3] [7]. Population‑level studies showing routine persistence beyond weeks are not present in the provided set; early population immunogenicity studies focused on antibody durability rather than antigen persistence [9] [1]. The authors of the small studies repeatedly call for larger, representative studies to establish prevalence and causation [3] [4].
4. Interpretation — correlation, not established causation
The studies that find persistent spike or S1 generally stop short of proving that the antigen causes symptoms. For example, the Yale team and others explicitly state their work “does not establish causation” and that further validation in larger groups is required before clinical implications can be drawn [8] [4] [3]. Some authors propose mechanisms (immune dysregulation, antigen‑driven inflammation, viral reactivation), but these remain hypotheses to be tested [8] [4] [3].
5. Conflicting perspectives and publication status
Findings appear across peer‑reviewed journals, preprints, institutional news releases, and opinion outlets. Preprints and small studies attract rapid coverage and divergent commentary — supportive outlets highlight potential vaccine‑derived injury narratives while researchers stress preliminary status and need for replication [8] [10]. Some journals have published related tissue or plasma persistence data in controlled settings [1] [2] [5], while broader reviews note that multiple studies have reported prolonged antigen detection but emphasize limited understanding of frequency and clinical impact [11].
6. What’s missing or next steps researchers propose
Available sources consistently call for larger, rigorously controlled studies to quantify how often antigen persistence occurs, whether it derives from vaccine vs. infection, which tissues act as reservoirs, and whether clearing antigen improves symptoms [4] [3]. Authors suggest longitudinal sampling, broader cohorts, replication across labs, and mechanistic work (including testing interventions such as monoclonal antibodies) to move from observation to clinical guidance [4].
Summary takeaway: multiple peer‑reviewed papers and preprints document spike/S1 detection after vaccination in specific cohorts and tissues, sometimes for much longer than originally expected, but evidence is limited by small samples, heterogenous methods, and preprint status in several instances; definitive prevalence and causal links are not established in the provided reporting [1] [2] [3] [4].