New research reveals that children with eczema who received the COVID-19 vaccine experienced fewer infections and allergic conditions than those who didn’t.
The study of over 11,000 pediatric patients found lower risks of asthma, rhinitis, and skin infections among vaccinated children.
COVID-19 Vaccine May Offer Added Protection for Children With Eczema
Children diagnosed with atopic dermatitis (AD), more commonly known as eczema, could face fewer infections and allergy-related problems after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, according to new findings presented at the 2025 American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) Annual Scientific Meeting in Orlando.
“Atopic dermatitis is a chronic skin condition driven by the immune system and often precedes the development of asthma and allergic rhinitis,” says medical student Tristan Nguyen, BS, lead author of the study. “Children with AD are also at higher risk for infections, including those affecting the skin and respiratory system.”
To explore these connections, researchers carried out a retrospective cohort study including 5,758 vaccinated and 5,758 unvaccinated children with AD, all under 17 years old. The two groups were carefully matched based on age, gender, and overall health history. Children who had previously contracted COVID-19 or had serious medical conditions were excluded from the analysis.
Vaccination Shows Unexpected Benefits Beyond COVID-19
“Our study suggests that COVID-19 vaccination not only protects against coronavirus but may also have broader health benefits for children with atopic dermatitis,” said Zhibo Yang, MD, PhD, the principal investigator (PI) of the study. “We found lower rates of both allergic conditions and infections among vaccinated children compared to their unvaccinated peers.”
Key findings included:
- Vaccinated children experienced significantly fewer infections, including otitis media, pneumonia, bronchitis, bronchiolitis, sinusitis, upper respiratory infections, impetigo, molluscum contagiosum, and other common skin infections.
- They also had reduced risks of allergic diseases such as asthma, allergic rhinitis, contact dermatitis, and food-triggered anaphylaxis.
- In many cases, the onset of conditions like allergic rhinitis, viral infections, and ear infections occurred later after vaccination.
“The results indicate that vaccination may help reduce the likelihood of atopic disease progression, such as the development of asthma, in children with eczema,” said Dr. Yang. “It reinforces the safety and potential added benefits of COVID-19 vaccination in this vulnerable population.”
The findings add to a growing body of evidence supporting vaccination as a valuable tool in protecting children with chronic allergic conditions.
R382 Abstract Title: COVID-19 Vaccination is Associated with Reduced Complications in Pediatric Patients with Atopic Dermatiti
T. Nguyen, T. Kumala, P. Nguyen, H. Chan, A. Pham, J. Wang, Y. Tanas, Z. Yang
Introduction: Atopic dermatitis (AD) involves immune dysregulation and increases the risk of allergic and infectious conditions, often preceding asthma and allergic rhinitis in the atopic triad. This study evaluated whether COVID-19 vaccination influences allergic or infection-related outcomes in children with AD.
Methods: A retrospective cohort study using TriNetX compared vaccinated and unvaccinated pediatric AD patients (≤17 years), excluding those with prior COVID-19 infection or major comorbidities. After 1:1 matching, 5,758 patients per cohort were analyzed using risk ratios (RRs) and hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% CIs (p < 0.05).
Results: COVID-19 vaccination was associated with reduced incidence of multiple infections, including otitis media (RR=0.623; 95%CI: 0.554–0.701), pneumonia (RR=0.604; 95%CI: 0.512–0.714), bronchitis (RR=0.488; 95%CI: 0.286–0.831), bronchiolitis (RR=0.480; 95%CI: 0.345–0.669), non-COVID viral infections (RR=0.547; 95%CI: 0.456–0.657), sinusitis (RR=0.549; 95%CI: 0.408–0.738), upper respiratory infections (RR=0.647; 95%CI: 0.582–0.720), impetigo (RR=0.492; 95%CI: 0.355–0.683), molluscum contagiosum (RR=0.597; 95%CI: 0.408–0.873), and skin infections (RR=0.559; 95%CI: 0.355–0.878). Risks of allergic complications were also reduced, including asthma (RR=0.696; 95%CI: 0.568–0.854), allergic rhinitis (RR=0.561; 95%CI: 0.477–0.660), contact dermatitis (RR=0.537; 95%CI: 0.320–0.901), and other allergy-related conditions such as anaphylactic food reactions (RR=0.703; 95%CI: 0.525–0.941) indicating potential protection against atopic progression. Hazard analysis showed significantly delayed time-to-event onset for otitis media, bronchiolitis, viral infections, upper respiratory infections, and allergic rhinitis (all p < 0.05). No significant differences were observed in psychiatric or growth-related outcomes.
Conclusion: COVID-19 vaccination is associated with reduced asthma and other immune-mediated complications in children with atopic dermatitis. These findings support the safety and potential broader protective benefits of vaccination in this population.
Never miss a breakthrough: Join the SciTechDaily newsletter.
Follow us on Google and Google News.